Keep Me Coming Back For More
by DramastarOF06
Summary: A terrible vision takes Liz, Kyle, and Maria on a journey that leads them to a place where they find love, family, and the need to settle down, but what hapens when your past calls you back?
1. Pathfinder

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Title: _Keep me Coming Back For More_

Author: DramastarOF06

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Category: Mostly dreamerific but it has all couples. 

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Rating: PG-13

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Summary: After a terrifying vision, Liz decided to separate from the group, but Maria and Kyle won't let her go without them. Now it's them, the open road, and the urge to start a new life. But ties from their past keep them coming back for more. 

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Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell, nor do I own any song, TV show, or a lot of stuff. So please do not sue me. 

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A/N: This is a new story and I hope you all like it. Read and Review!!

**__**

Part 1: Pathfinder

"Am I the only one who thinks that this van is getting too crowded?" Kyle asked Isabel as they loaded up the van after a long nights planning at a motel in Pittsburgh. 

"No, but try telling that to hurricane Deluca." Isabel said as they put the last of Maria's bags on the heap. 

Isabel laughed as Michael walked out of the hotel room with Maria fresh on his heels. Would they ever stop fighting? Kyle looked at what she was laughing at and laughed too. 

"Hey, how much do you want to bet that they don't stop fighting till we clear the border?" Kyle asked her. 

"Oh, I think that they'll be fighting for at least a good couple of days." Isabel smirked and then turned back around. 

Kyle kept his eyes on the door and saw Max and Liz exit. Max spun Liz around before pulling her to him and kissing her. God, they were so in love it was almost nauseating. Ever since their wedding they had been all lovey-dovey and it was making everyone sick. 

"Oh Romeo! Juliet! Get your newlywed behinds in this van or it's taking off without you!" Michael yelled from the front seat. 

Liz turned to Max and just smiled, caught again. They were the only ones who were allowed their stay in their own separate room, but that was only when money was good. This month it happened to be tight. Kyle had slept in the van while Isabel, Maria, and Liz piled onto one bed. Michael took the other bed and Max took the floor. 

Max took Liz's hand in his and brought it to his lips. 

"Any chance they'd let us take one more round in the motel room?" Max asked jokingly. 

Liz looked over at where the other four were standing, watching them. "Not a chance." They both laughed and walked towards the van. 

"Ok, Michael's driving, that means Maria gets shotgun." Kyle said. "I call back seat!" He yelled out before diving into the van with a thud. 

"Nice job Kyle." Max said before stepping over him and lifting Liz into his lap. The group all laughed before driving off towards their unseen destination. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The group walked through the busy restaurant, adamant on finding a table. Michael kept his hand securely around Maria's and Max did the same with Liz. Kyle just let Isabel lead him. 

Once they were all seated Liz leaned over to Maria. 

"If we were witnessing here there wouldn't be so many problems." Liz whispered. 

"Liz, like seriously, you need a life." Maria said teasingly. "I know what you're saying chica." Maria told her as she looked longingly at the waiters and waitresses. 

"Hey, girls, you two ok?" Kyle waved his hand in front of both of their dazed off faces. 

Max looked at Michael, neither knowing what was wrong with them. 

"What?" Maria asked as she became aware of Kyle. 

"Where were you just now?" He asked. 

"Heaven." Liz said dreamily before putting her head down. 

"Liz?" Max asked, unsure of what set his wife off like this. 

"She'll be all right. We're just going through witnessing withdrawal." Maria told Max.

"Wait, you mean you two actually miss working?" Isabel asked. 

"A little." Liz admitted. 

"Why didn't you say anything?" Kyle asked. "I've got some engine parts in the back of the van…" He was cut off by Maria hitting him. 

"Not that kind of work you goof." Maria laughed, as did they all. 

It was moments like this that made them all sane on their whirlwind adventure. It was these simple, laughter filled moments that kept them coming back for more. Max would never be fed up of these moments. 

He reached for Liz's hand and heard her gasp. They all looked at her as her eyes closed automatically and Max felt her pulse start to race. She was getting a vision. 

**__**

*Vision*

It was clear and sharp. Max was standing over her and he held something behind his back. Then the object that he had hidden only moments ago was revealed as a shiny silver pistol aimed right at her. The gun went off and Liz screamed. 

The pain was incredible, it tore through her like fire. Each second seemingly lasting forever. 

**__**

*End of Vision*

Liz jumped as Max's cool hands touched her cheeks. She opened her eyes and looked straight into his amber gaze. How could those eyes, who were so loving, belong to the man who would kill her? Liz tried to swallow and felt herself shaking. No, Max wouldn't kill her, he loved her. She knew all that, but the nagging voice inside her head was telling her that he would, she just _saw_ it. 

"Lizzie?" Maria asked. Liz turned her head and saw Maria leaning over the table. 

"I…I need to go to the bathroom." Liz said weakly. Max moved hastily out of the booth, put his hand on her upper arm, and Liz jerked away. 

Max took a step back, now knowing that Liz needed space. Kyle stood up so that Maria could slide out and take Liz to the bathroom. Seconds later the remaining four were left in silence. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  


"It was so real Maria." Liz cried on Maria's shoulder. 

"It'll be ok. We'll talk it through and then…I don't know, we'll make a plan." Maria tried to help her friend. 

"I can't tell Max." Liz said firmly. 

"But sweetie…"  


"NO!" Liz almost screamed. "I mean…no. I'm sorry." Liz started to sob some more. "I just can't get the image out of my head. He looked so angry, so….so …."  


"Inhuman." Maria said in a whisper. 

Liz only nodded and Maria drew her closer. 

"It'll be ok." Maria pulled her close and stroked her hair. "We'll take care of it."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"I'm starved. Someone please go and get them to come out already." Michael whined from his seat at the table. 

"I'll go, seeing as how I'm the only one who is allowed to enter that room." Isabel said grumpily. 

"No, you sit, I'll go." Kyle stood. "Maybe her vision was about all three of you. You don't want to make her upset, I'll go." 

"Go." Max said quietly. It was made clear to him when Liz flinched under his touch that she didn't want him near her. 

Kyle walked slowly to the girls room, that was non-guy territory. He knocked hesitantly on the door and was suddenly pulled into the bathroom. 

Once inside he saw Liz sitting on a sink and Maria standing near the door. 

"Ok let's see. We have three lonely aliens out there." He pointed to the door. "and we have one sad human, one angry human, and one very confused human in here." Kyle pointed out. "What's going on? And is that a couch?" His attention was turned to the soft plush couch that was near one of the walls. 

"Kyle…focus…Listen, Liz had a vision that Max shot her and we think it would be best if we separated from the group for a little while. Just you know so we could give them some time to do the whole alien bonding thing." Maria told Kyle. 

"So, what? You think that they're just gonna let us leave? Maria, we're in danger now too, we can't just go off on our own…" Kyle trailed off. Maria sunk onto the couch and looked up at Liz who was still sitting on the sink with her knees drawn up to her chest. 

"What do you think Liz?" Maria asked her. 

"I don't want to leave Max." Liz said firmly, even though it sounded weak through her tears. "But…I know Max loves me…something was controlling him in that vision, I don't want him to feel guilt over something that he couldn't have controlled." Liz said. 

"So, we're talking about your life hanging in the balance and all you're worried about is Max. Typical Liz Parker Evans to put the one person she loves in front of her." Maria said before turning to Kyle. 

"I know, I know. I'm overruled. I just want the record to show that I think this is a very _big_ mistake." Both girls nodded. 

"Noted." They said in unison.

"All right, we leave tomorrow. We'll stall them and say that we need new clothes or something. There was a shopping mall that we passed on our way here. We'll tell them to stop there and we'll go into the bathrooms. We'll leave from there. I'll get us a car and leave it in the parking lot." Kyle told them his plan. 

"Are you sure you haven't been thinking about this for a while?" Maria asked. They all laughed at Kyle before leaving the bathroom. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"They've been in there for too long." Isabel said as she stood up. "_I_ don't even take that long in the bathroom." 

"Go see what's going on in there." Max ordered of Isabel. She turned without further comment and went to the bathrooms. 

"You ok?" Michael asked Max. 

"Oh, you mean because last night Liz had a vision of something that scared her so much that she can't even look at me, talk to me, or touch me? Oh yeah, I'm just fine." Max said while sitting back. 

"Glad to hear it." Michael muttered under his breath. 

They sat in a moments quiet before Isabel came running out to them. 

"They're gone!" She said in a panicked tone. 

"What do you mean they're gone?!" Michael said. Max was too shocked for words. 

"I went in there and there was this note. It says that they needed space and they would find us when they were ready. Liz's vision was something more than just your everyday vision. Something freaked them all out." Isabel told them. 

"Let's get to the van, maybe they didn't get too far." Max suggested as they all ran to the parking lot. 

They didn't see the three sets of eyes watching them from behind a corner. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**__**

3 hours Later

Liz yawned in the backseat and stretched her arms. 

"Oh great you're up. Maria has been bugging me, stop her." Kyle said while looking in the rearview mirror. 

"She sounds kind of silent to me." Liz said with another yawn. 

"That's because she's listening to a walkman." Kyle laughed. Liz smiled at him and then looked out the window. 

"Where exactly are we?" She asked. 

"We, my friend, are in the pizza capital of the world. I saw a sign back on the interstate for this town who has the best pizza. I was hungry when I saw the sign so, here we are." Kyle waved his hand to the town. "I never actually thought that there would actually be such a place. Now all we have to do is find the right one." 

"How bout that McDonald's?" Maria suggested. 

"No, we're having pizza." Kyle said before pulling into a parking lot. "Ok, so who wants some of '_Rinaldi's'_ pizza?" 

"Let's go Buddha Boy." Maria said as they exited the car. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"You guys, I hate to say this, but I think we should stay here." Liz suggested as they hunched over their table. 

"Yeah, we could get jobs and get an apartment. We could start a whole new life." Maria said excitedly. 

"We can't use our real names and I refuse to use our Vegas names." Kyle said. "Being Harvey Wallbanger was enough for one night."   


"Fine." The girls said before they started to giggle. "Oh, I got my name." Maria said to them. 

"Let's hear it." Kyle insisted. 

"I'm Vanessa Stevens." She said with pride. 

"Nice. How bout you Harvey?" Liz said to him. 

"Funny Liz." Both girls laughed at him before he continued. "I'll be Nicholas…." 

"You are not being one of those one name skins." Liz protested. 

"Fine…"  


"Stevens, you could be my brother." Maria suggested, cutting him off. 

"Oh joy." Kyle said unemotionally but laughed when Maria hit him. 

"I'll be Kathleen…what about a last name?" Liz asked. She wasn't sure that she wanted to give up the part of her that belonged to Max.  


"Stay with Evans." Kyle said softly. "You are after all still married." Liz smiled at him before turning to Maria. 

"I'm Kathleen Evans." 

"The names Vanessa Stevens, and this is my brother Nicholas Stevens." Maria said making them all laugh. 

"Let's find a place to stay." Kyle said before they paid their check and walked out. 

This day would be the first day of the rest of their lives. 

**__**

A/N: This is a new story that I had swimming around in my brain. Please give me feedback, good or bad, just don't be mean, I'm a very sensitive person. Any way, I hope you like it. **R&R!!**


	2. New Neighbors and Fun Surprises

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Part 2: New Neighbors and Fun Surprises

The house was perfect, it looked like a grown up doll house. Maria squealed as the owner led them around. It was just so nice. It was a white stucco house with a sailor effect to it. When you walked into the front door you walked right into the living room, after the living room was the kitchen. The kitchen then led to a small room where they could hang coats or put shoes, or something. The room led to the back porch and the basement. There was another hallway in the living room that led to another hallway (it was semicircle in shape). There were two bedrooms and a bathroom, plus two closets. The girls felt that the house was homey, and comfortable. Kyle just wanted to sleep in something other than his car. 

When they first arrived in the small town Liz had used her powers to manipulate the money they had to make them larger bills. They had set up an account at the Old Forge Bank and decided to look for a place to settle down. They each agreed that after they got settled that they would stop using Liz's powers like that and they vowed to keep that promise. They just ran away from trouble, they didn't need it finding them again. 

Now that they finally looked at this house Maria and Liz decided for Kyle that this was the one. He believed what they said to him was 'We voted, you lost' and that was it. Liz and Maria settled into one bedroom which had pink walls and looked as if a child had lived in it. Kyle's room had pale blue walls and was quite small. 

After signing all the papers and finally getting everything approved, they moved in. They were in luck when they found a furniture store just up the main street, which happened to turn off of their new street. They bought enough furniture and decorated the whole house. Now three weeks later, after all the decorating had been done, and after all the jobs had been sorted out, they were ready to start their brand new lives as Vanessa Stevens, Nicholas Stevens, and Kathleen Evans. 

The loud knock on the door broke them out of their quick nap. Kyle had been lying in his room and Liz and Maria took the sofa and chair in the living room. Liz was the first to hear the knock and got up quickly to see who it was. 

"Umm…Hello." Liz said to the stranger while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. 

The woman who stood across from her was just a few inches shorter than her, she had red hair, looked about fifty maybe late fifties, and wore glasses. The woman wore a smile on her face and a purple shirt to cover her big heart. 

"Hello, I'm Zira. I live right next door. I saw the moving truck last week and I feel horrible that I didn't stop in to welcome you to the neighborhood." The woman smiled. 

"Oh, it's all right. I'm Kathleen by the way." Liz said without stuttering. They had used their fake names so many times that it was like second nature now. "Won't you please come in?" 

"Ok, I have a couple minutes to kill." The elderly woman said politely. 

Liz walked over and shook Maria awake. 

"What?!" Maria asked grumpily. She did not like to be woken up when her new boss had her working a double shift. 

"We have company." Liz said, all the while plastering on a fake smile in front of their guest. 

"Oh…sorry." Maria smiled at the woman and then looked at Liz. 

"So, what brings you two to Old Forge?" The woman asked, breaking the ice. 

"My brother and I wanted to move from our old town and we brought my best friend with us." Maria said cheerily. 

"Oh, and what town are you from." The woman asked, still smiling. 

"Umm…" Maria was caught by that one. She failed geography. 

"Topeaca, Kansas." Liz, however, did not.

Zira smiled seemingly satisfied with their answer. 

"Where is your brother?" She asked the girls. 

"Uhh…Nicky's sleeping I think." Maria said to the woman. 

"I'm sorry dear but I'm afraid I didn't get your name." 

"I'm Vanessa." Maria smiled. 

"Umm…we didn't get your last name." Liz interjected. 

"Williams." Zira smiled. 

"Umm…Ms. Williams would you like something to drink?" Liz asked politely. 

"No, I'm fine but thank you. I was just wondering if you kids would like to come over for lunch on Sunday." The stranger asked of them. 

"No we really don't want to impose." Liz frowned. 

"But, you see. You now live in an Italian town. Food is our main specialty. Come on, you could visit my husband, and my children are going to be there and my grandchildren. It would really be a fun afternoon." Zira smiled at them. 

"Sure." Maria said from beside Liz. 

"Great. I'll see you Sunday." Zira said before standing to go. 

"Wait, how will we know where you live?" Liz asked. 

"Oh, I'm right next door." Zira smiled before walking out of the house. 

Maria laughed and then looked at the frowning Liz. 

"Oh come on. She was just being friendly." Maria laughed. 

"Maria, she's a stranger. A stranger who for all we know could be working for the FBI!" Liz exclaimed as they walked into their small kitchen. 

"Liz, we are out in the middle of no where. I bet the FBI doesn't even know Old Forge exists." Maria said while waving her hands emphatically. 

"Oh they know it exists. They have the best pizza in the world here, of course they know it exists." Kyle said while entering the room. 

"You are not helping!" Maria pointed to him. 

"Hey, I don't even know what you two are talking about!" Kyle said defensively. 

"Maria just accepted someone's lunch invitation." Liz said to him, while not taking her eyes off of Maria. 

"All right, free food!" Kyle yelled happily before getting sent a glare from Liz. 

"Liz, this is not the end of the world. These people aren't FBI g-men out to get us. They don't even know who we are." Maria told her soothingly. Liz nodded sullenly before sitting at the kitchen table with Kyle. 

"You've been strange lately, what's up with you?" Kyle asked. 

"Yeah, you've been acting really loopy. One minute you're happy, the next you're sad. What's wrong?" Maria now asked from her place at the sink. 

"I'm pregnant." Liz whispered, but not low enough. Maria and Kyle had the same exact reaction. 

"WHAT?!" 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

**__**

That Sunday

"I still can't believe that you didn't tell anyone." Maria shook her head disbelievingly at Liz. 

"What was I gonna say? Maria, I'm sorry I didn't tell you till now, but hey at least you got to be first. You even found out before Max." Liz told her friend as they covered up the burnt brownies. 

"As happy as that makes me feel there still lies the fact that you lied to me Liz Parker Evans. You never lie to me." 

"Maria, just get over it already." Liz said. "Why did we let Kyle make the brownies again?" 

"Because you and I had work. These are horrible." Maria said as she tossed one of the rock hard brownies in the garbage. 

"Well I didn't see you helping." Kyle said as he entered the kitchen. 

"I'm sorry, but this is just wrong. I specifically told you to follow the directions, what is so hard about getting some oil, an egg or two, and the powder that comes with the box?" Maria exclaimed at him. 

"Listen, I know you two are going through alien withdrawal here, but I am not anyone's whipping boy. I will not be your Michael, you can not push me around and expect me to fire back some crude comment that will keep you wrapped around my little finger. I am not your Max, I will not go to lamaze class with you, I will not be the person in the delivery room whose hand you break, I will not be the person you tell to tell the person who got you pregnant that you hate them. 

"I am only one man. That is all that I will be." Kyle finished his speech and saw the girls trying not to laugh. 

"Kyle that was so sweet." Liz whined. 

"It was, now come on whipping boy we got a lunch to go to." Maria said as she handed him the plate full of brownies. 

"What do you think we're going to be eating there? I mean my stomach can't handle much these days." Liz asked as they walked out the front door, making sure to lock it. 

"It's probably just gonna be some turkey sandwiches or something." 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

"We've got spaghetti, we've got salad, we've got garlic bread, and we've got cheesecake for dessert." The petite blonde girl answered their question. 

"I think I'm in heaven." Kyle murmered. 

"I thought this was only lunch." Liz whispered to Maria but the girl caught that. 

"It is, oh you should see us on holidays." Her blue eyes twinkled. "By the way, I'm Amanda. My grandmother is Zira." The girl introduced herself. 

"I'm Vanessa, this is my brother Nicky, and that's my best friend Kathleen." Maria handled the introductions. 

"Well, you already know my name, that over there in the nice comfy chair is Nonnie, she's my great grandmother. My grandfather and my father are in the living room, my mom and sister are on their way, my cousin is outside on her bike, and my aunt and grandmother are in the kitchen. Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone." Amanda led them all to the kitchen. 

"When did you get here?" Zira asked the three friends. 

"Just a minute ago. Your granddaughter has been showing us around." Liz said. 

"Oh and who might you be?" Zira asked Kyle. 

"I'm Nicky, Vanessa's brother." Kyle outstretched his hand to the older woman. 

"I'm Anne, Zira's daughter." The woman standing next to Zira said as she shook Kyle's, Maria's, and Liz's hands. "Amanda was just setting the table, would you like to help her?" 

"Sure." Maria said before helping the girl set the table. 

Liz stood next to Kyle, feeling lost. Then she heard a little voice from the doorway and looked to find a little girl, she had brown hair, glasses, and she wore blue capris with her white t-shirt. 

"Mom, is dinner ready yet?" The girl asked before looking at the strangers. 

"No, not yet. Ariel, this is Vanessa, Nicky, and Kathleen. They just moved next to grandma." Ariel looked the strangers over before saying a short 'Hi' and then moving on to her older cousin. 

"So, mom says that you're from Kansas, do you miss home?" Anne asked them. 

"Yeah, everyday, but this move was necessary for us. It was a growing experience." Maria said from where she and Amanda were laughing at the squirrels in the back yard. 

"Do you like your new house?" Amanda asked Liz. 

"It's nice. Its got a very comfortable feel to it." Liz said to the girl. 

"My family use to live in it." 

"Oh really, that's a coincidence." Maria smiled at her. "Maybe you could come over sometime." Maria asked hopefully. 

"Yeah that would be great." Just then they heard the front door open and then close. Amanda moved from her spot behind the table to the front room where her mother and sister were now standing. 

"Hey." Her sister greeted her before looking in the kitchen at the three strangers. "I'm Candace, and you all are?"   


"I'm Kathleen, this is Vanessa, and that's her brother Nicky." Liz pointed everyone out. 

"I'm Debbie, and if I'm not mistaken my husband is in the living right now isn't he?" Debbie asked while her mother-in-law nodded. 

"Ariel, why don't you call your grandpa and uncle for dinner?" Anne asked her daughter and the little girl ran off. 

Amanda looked at Liz, Maria, and Kyle. She felt bad for them. They looked so alone, she knew the feeling. She only had one friend that she could call a true blue friend. For most of her high school career she felt alone. These three adults looked somewhat lost, maybe she could help them. 

As the two men came into the room everyone sat at the table and the first of many Sunday dinners was started. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

**__**

A/N: I understand that there were a lot of names in this chapter. I'm gonna try and make a little chart so as to help you remember them better. 

*Zira (sounds like ZEAR-A) Williams*Jimmy Williams

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*Anne Marie Williams ----Jim Williams (Oldest) Debbie Collins Williams

/|

*Ariel WilliamsCandace Williams (Oldest) & *Amanda Williams

All the characters that will be reoccurring have a star next to them. () Means that they are married. 

Thanks for the feedback. I hope you all like this story, I'm going through a small case of writers block so please excuse any garbage that I produce. **R&R!!**


	3. It's a Hard Knock Life

**__**

Part 3: It's a Hard Knock Life

Liz jumped off the chair, and began to walk towards the door. This job was really started to bug her. They had been in Old Forge for a month now and things seemed to be getting back on track. This job, however, was getting her no where and fast. Sure working at Turkey Hill Minute Mart wasn't a glorified job, but it put money on the table. Maria had gotten a job at a store that made and designed t-shirts for the local high schools, and Kyle got a job at a local crash parts store. 

Liz hopped in the car that the three of them shared and took off towards 'home'. She never really wanted to call it home, it was just a substitute for the real thing. Max was her home and he would forever be her home. Just the thought of going home and not finding Max there made her heart ache. Now, when she thought about Max not knowing his own child, her chest only hurt even more. Why had she left him? They could've worked something out. 

She racked her brain for any logical explanation as to why she made this horrible decision, that would only hurt her child in the long run, and all she could come up with was pregnancy hormones. 

Maria had been totally supportive throughout the whole thing. Maria and Kyle were all she had now, well of course with the exception of Zira and her family. The Williams' always had them over for dinner on Tuesdays and on Sundays. Most of the time it was just Zira and Jimmy plus the three of them, sometimes Ariel. 

As Liz walked through the doors to her new house she noticed Maria lounging on the couch. 

"How'd you get home? I have the car." Liz asked her. 

"Oh, Neil gave me a ride while he was going to the embroidery factory." Maria said as she turned the TV off. 

"Kyle's making supper tonight, right?" 

"I think so. You know what that means." Maria said. 

"Chinese here we come." Liz said as she let herself plop down on the couch. 

"So, how's junior doing today?" Maria asked as she sat back.

"You know if I have a girl she's gonna be severely pissed off at you for calling her junior?" Liz mentioned sarcastically. 

"Yeah, yeah, it shares the same DNA with Isabel so it probably will be." Maria waved it off and Liz laughed. 

"She _or_ he is doing fine today. I just wish Max were here." Liz said wistfully. 

"Yeah, but I say it's better to be alive and pregnant with the heir to the _'Antarian' _throne, than killed by your alien husband. Think about it Liz. One day, when we do meet up with them again, Max will thank you for keeping his heir safe." 

"You make it sound so…formal." Liz cringed at the word. Her and Max were anything but formal. "I just don't know what to do Maria." 

As Liz finished her comment they both heard someone run off their front steps and then they saw Kyle appear in the doorway, looking over his shoulder at the car that just sped off. 

"Hey, what was that?" They asked. 

"Amanda just took off like she was on fire or something." Kyle said to them. 

"Oh God, she was listening. She must have heard everything we said." Liz said as she put her head in her hands. 

"Great, what do we do now?" Maria asked, feeling equally upset about this as the other two. 

"We should start packing." Kyle announced. "It's not safe anymore." 

"No." Liz said firmly. "I'll go and talk to her." 

After they each agreed that if the conversation went sour they would run, Liz left to find Amanda. Although, she didn't have to look far. As she drove up the street that led to her house she saw Amanda sitting with her legs dangling in her above ground pool. The younger Williams' had a very lovely house and they took excellent care of it. They had a pond, two decks, a garden, a gravel path, and a pool and spa. They weren't the richest people but they did take pride in what they had. 

Amanda spotted the silver ford focus right away and jumped out of the pool. 

"Listen, I don't know what you heard, or think you heard, but I'm here to explain it to you." Liz said while stopping her from running in the house. 

"What's there to explain? I heard everything you guys said." Amanda said before sidestepping Liz. 

"Are your parents home?" Liz asked without turning to face the seventeen year old. 

"No, they went out for dinner." Amanda said with attitude. 

"Why don't you and I go for a drive. Any where you want to go and I'll go with you." Liz suggested hopefully. This girl was smart, she wouldn't just let this drop. 

After a moments pause Amanda looked at Liz and shrugged. "Fine." She said and walked down the sidewalk towards her red jeep liberty. 

^^^^^^^^^^^

Amanda drove them to a playground in a town called Ransom. On the way up there they both sat in total silence, listening to the radio. Each one lost in their own thoughts. Liz didn't know where Amanda was taking her and was amazed at how the girl knew exactly where to go to find a peaceful spot. When they arrived at the playground Amanda turned off the car and just sat in silence. 

"So, you want to talk?" Liz asked. 

Without answering Amanda got out of the car and walked towards the empty swing set. No one else was in the park so the girls had free reign. 

"Do you want me to explain what I said to Vanessa?" Liz asked, hoping the girl hadn't heard their real names. 

"Isn't her name Maria?" Amanda snapped at her from her spot on the swings. "Why'd you lie to us?" 

"I can't really tell you all that, it's just…it's just complicated. Amanda, people who've found out have died, innocent people. Your family has been so nice to us…" Liz was cut off. 

"And we trusted you. You betrayed my grandmother, my grandfather, my aunt, my cousin, my parents, my sister, and me! How do I know that what you say to me today won't be also a lie?!" 

"Fine! Do you want to know what happened to us in the past three years?! Do you want to know why I can't live with my husband?! Do you want to know why I had to run away from my hometown?!" Liz snapped back. "Do you want to know the truth? Because once you do, you can never get out." 

"I want to know everything." Amanda said firmly. 

"Fine." Liz said as she sat on the swing next to Amanda. "I was a sophomore in West Roswell High when it happened. I was the average straight 'A' little miss perfect who was dating one of the schools biggest jocks, I guess you could say that I was set for the perfect future. I was working in my parent's café with Maria and one of the school's cutest guys was their with his best friend." Liz paused to reminisce.

"That was the day that changed my life." Liz continued. "I was shot…and I probably would have died except…" Liz didn't know if she could do this. Could she betray Max and tell his secret to this person she barely knew? "except, the cute guy I mentioned earlier, he ran up to me and put his hand over my wound and…and he healed me.

"After that my life was turned upside down. I learned that aliens existed, I fell in love with one, his destined _mate_ came back and I lost him, my best friend was killed, I got powers, the government has been chasing us since God knows when, and I just ran away from the only true happiness I have ever known." Liz stopped and looked at the girl who was listening intently. "And the worst part is that my baby won't get to know their father." Liz let the walls down and cried. 

The girl took Liz up in her arms and held her as she cried out all the pain since leaving Roswell. And in that minute, while she was crying in a strangers arms, she just knew that she could trust her. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Maria, Liz, and Kyle walked up the front steps to The Williams household. Just two days ago Liz told Amanda everything and now they were having dinner with her grandparents. They didn't know if they should be nervous or what, Maria and Kyle still didn't trust Amanda, but Liz did. After Liz told Amanda everything they had a nice talk, where Liz really got to know this stranger who now knew their deepest secret. 

__

*** "So what do you want to do with your life?" 

"I want to write, anything and everything. I just feel like I'm in another world when I'm writing. A world that my parents don't have control over." 

"So you think that your parents control you?" 

"Is it cold in Antarctica?" ***

The girl was genuinely a good person who just wanted a little adventure to spice up her boring life. Liz admired that about the girl, she didn't see this secret as a burden but as an adventure. Kyle had been the least skeptical about this and invited the girl over for one of their once a week meetings where they just talked about life without their aliens and how the keeping up a wall, so Isabel couldn't get in, was going. 

The Williams' had invited the kids over for dinner, like the past couple Tuesday nights and of course they accepted. It was the one night of the week that they didn't have to worry about putting food on the table. 

Ariel of course was there, and like always she ignored the three of them. Liz wondered why she was so cold and made a mental note to ask Amanda later. As they were all about to sit down to dinner the front door opened and then closed. They all heard Amanda's voice ring out and then saw her appear in the entrance way. 

"Hey guys. Sorry to interrupt but mom's over at the medicine shop, so I thought I'd stop by." Amanda said as she took a seat next to her cousin. 

"Hey Amanda." Maria said to the girl who now knew everything. 

"Hey Vanessa, so what's up?" Amanda asked. 

"Mandy, could you take me to the park?" Ariel asked. 

"Later babes." Amanda said to her cousin. 

The group continued on with their conversation till Zira mentioned something to Liz about her own pregnancy with her children and how it would just fly by fast. Liz looked confused and then looked to Amanda who just shrugged before walking out the front door. 

Later that night while the three were sitting in their living room just watching TV their phone rang and Liz went to pick it up. 

"Hello?" Liz answered the phone. 

"Liz, I just want you to know I didn't tell my grandmother anything." Amanda blurted out. 

"I know, I asked her how she knew and she said that she heard it from one of her friends who said they heard it while they were in Turkey Hill the one day." Liz told her. Liz didn't like being on the gossip chain already, it made her nervous. 

"Ok, I just wanted to remind you that your secrets safe with me." Amanda said before hanging up. 

"I know." Liz said to the dead receiver. 

**__**

A/N: I'm sorry if the parts seem to drag on. I know where I'm taking this story but it's hard getting there. I hope you all still like the story and keep reading it, cause I'll do better next time. **R&R!!**


	4. One Day

**__**

Part 4: One Day

"No, you need this." Maria said as she tossed another toy into the moving cart. 

"Maria, I'm not even two months along, we don't need to get toys yet." Liz said as she took the stuffed unicorn out of the cart. 

"Girls, can we please focus on why we came here?" Kyle pleaded with the two. 

"Oh right, new clothes for Kyle." Maria said to herself, but made everyone laugh. 

"Ok, I need three new shirts, three new pair of jeans, and a winter coat." Kyle rambled off his list. 

"Kyle, it's only August, why do you need a winter coat?" Maria asked. 

"Because, it won't be this warm forever. We don't live in the desert anymore Maria, we need to start thinking about the future months of ice cold winter." Kyle pointed out. 

"Well, then why don't we wait till winter to get coats?" Maria said, challenging him. 

"Guys stop bickering, you're giving me a headache." Liz almost yelled at them in the middle of the store. 

"Fine." They both admitted defeat before moving on. 

They walked around the Target store for a little while longer before checking out. They were slowly adjusting to life without any real family with them. That was what Max, Michael, and Isabel were. For three years they had been like family to one another, the only people in the world that they trusted, and now it was all gone. Sure the Williams' had become like family, but there was no substitute for the real thing. 

They all constantly held their ground against Isabel's attempts to enter their dream world. Kyle taught the girls some meditation tricks that seemed to work wonders. They each cleared their minds and thought only of peace, which kept them far away from Old Forge, and somehow it kept a wall up against Isabel. Liz hated keeping them out, however, it was the only way to stay safe. 

Certain nights she would dream of the happiness that she and Max shared, but then other nights she only saw her vision of him killing her. Liz still couldn't understand how Max could do anything like that, but it kept haunting her. 

Amanda had proved, more than once in the short time frame of her knowledge of the Czech's, that she was capable of keeping this a secret, and that she would. Amanda never bothered them unless she was asked, and she covered with her grandmother when she got too nosy. Yes, after getting to know Zira Williams they discovered a whole other part of her. The part that was stubborn, willful, and prideful. Amanda did a good job of ignoring her family's flaws and did her best to make sure that her grandmother didn't stumble onto something that could hurt her new friends. 

As the three friends got into their car Maria squealed as she saw something across the lot. 

"Michael?" She breathed. Liz spun around to see what she was looking at but only saw an empty van. It was an orange VW, but their van was blue. It couldn't be them. 

"That can't be them." Liz voiced her objection. 

"They can change the color of the van. They did it a lot while we were with them." Kyle said as he loaded the last bag. 

"They're here! They're really here!" Maria squealed excitedly. She wanted nothing more than to have Michael hold her. 

"Let's go." Liz said while unconsciously putting a hand over her flat stomach. 

"Liz…" Maria trailed off as she looked into Liz's torn eyes. 

She knew her friend wanted to be with Max, but she didn't want to die, she didn't want her child to die. So without objecting they all got into the car. As they were driving out of the parking lot Maria turned around in the back seat to see an elderly couple entering the van. 

"False alarm." She admitted sadly. "You can stop breaking every traffic law now Kyle." 

They all breathed out a sigh and realized just how much they did miss them. Liz and Maria especially. 

Maybe it would get easier, Kyle thought to himself, yeah it just had too. 

**__**

2:00 a.m.

Liz woke up with this nauseous feeling in her stomach. The kind of feeling that makes you just want to lie down and die. Too bad that as soon as she tried that she felt like throwing up was the only option. She jumped out of her bed and ran into the door. It was still dark out and the only thing she could see was black. Liz quickly shook it off and opened the closed door and sprinted those two feet to the bathroom. 

The soft fluffy rug that Kyle picked out for the bathroom felt good underneath her knees as she let herself 'pray to the porcelain God' as Amanda called it. Liz's stomach emptied itself and she finally let herself relax against the wall. She smiled to herself at what this meant to her the first time it happened. 

She was actually pregnant. Of course she knew she was, she took the test and all, but this was the first indication that she ever had. When this first happened she thought she was going to die. She could not go through months of this, but now it was like this little person inside of her was actually making her feel closer to Max. Liz let her head rest against the wall while she let herself get up the strength to walk back to her room. 

Maria and Kyle never got up with her anymore. At first they would be running to the bathroom with her, but now they had sort of built up a tolerance of her sounds of vomiting. They slept right through it, and she kind of liked that. She didn't bother them and they didn't bother her. Now all she had to do was get through the rest of the day. 

**__**

8:00 a.m. 

"Hey, you ok?" Liz's coworker, Stacy, asked her as she exited the bathroom. 

"Yeah, whoever called this morning sickness was really wrong about that." Liz muttered as she sat back down on her stool.

"Yeah, when I had my first, all I did was throw up." Stacy replied with a smile. The woman had black hair and was at least twice as old as her. 

"How many kids did you have?" Liz asked. 

"Three. Bobby, Sarah, and Kathy. The sweetest little runts that you would ever see, but of course I'm a little biased." Stacy said with a smile.

"I think all moms are that way. My mom would always brag about me to anyone and everyone. It got a little embarrassing after I hit my teen years." Liz smiled at the thought of her mother. She missed her. 

Just then the bells on the door rang out and Liz jumped. 

"Time to get back to work." Stacy reminded her before they each started working. 

**__**

2:00 p.m.

Liz just wanted to go to sleep as she crossed the threshold into her new house. Sleep was the only thing that appealed to her at that moment in time. She walked towards the couch and let herself flop down on it. It was good to sleep. Maria and Kyle were going to be at work for at least another three hours so she could go on without being disturbed. Liz's eyes drifted shut and she was out. 

**__**

8:00 p.m.

Liz woke up groggily on the couch. How did she get in the living room? Last thing she remembered was coming home from work, and oh yeah falling asleep on the couch. Liz smelt the food cooking in the kitchen and guessed that Kyle and Maria were home. Finally, she was actually hungry, that was a first. Liz got up and walked into the kitchen where she saw Kyle with an apron on and he was singing and dancing to Footloose. 

"Been working so hard,

Keep punching my card   
Eight hours, for what?   
Oh, tell me what I got   
I get this feeling   
That time's just holding me down   
I'll hit the ceiling   
Or else I'll tear up this town   
Tonight I gotta cut   
Loose, footloose   
Kick off your Sunday shoes   
Please, Louise   
Pull me offa my knees   
Jack, get back   
C'mon before we crack   
Lose your blues   
Everybody cut footloose   
You're playing so cool   
Obeying every rule   
Dig way down in your heart   
You're yearning, burning for some   
Somebody to tell you   
That life ain't passing you by   
I'm trying to tell you   
It will if you don't even try   
You can fly if you'd only cut   
Loose, footloose   
Kick off your Sunday shoes   
Oowhee, Marie   
Shake it, shake it for me   
Whoa, Milo   
C'mon, c'mon let go   
Lose your blues   
Everybody cut footloose   
FIRST -…Liz!" Kyle said abruptly ending his song. 

"Hey Kevin Bacon." Liz said while stifling a laugh. 

"How long you been there?" He asked, his face red and he was out of breath. 

"Long enough to know that you got some killer set of pipes and the dance steps to match. Don't let Maria know, she's the singer in this group." Liz winked before sitting down at the table. 

"Seriously, don't tell anyone though. If anyone knew my secret love for Footloose I'd never live it down." Kyle said while playing along. 

"Oh yes, because there are so many girls you're interested in these days." Liz said sarcastically. 

"Hey, I'm just keeping my options open." Kyle defended himself. 

"Where's Maria?" Liz asked, finally realizing that Maria was no where to be heard. 

"She had to run an errand, she'll be back soon." He said before turning back around to his stove. 

"I'm back!" Maria's voice rang out through the house. "And I brought a present." 

"What'd you get?" Liz asked as she and Kyle walked into the living room.

"Hey, girl. We thought you'd never wake up." Maria swatted at Liz. "Ok, so I was shopping the other day with Zira's granddaughter Candace and you know what I saw?" 

"Not a clue, but it was probably something immaturely gross. I've noticed that girl to act like she's five." Kyle said about Candace. 

"Haha, not funny. Anyway, I saw this calendar and I had to get it. So I went back today and tah-da, a pregnancy calendar." Maria showed them enthusiastically. Kyle just laughed and Liz rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Maria, we don't have the money for something like that." Liz pointed out logically. 

"Oh be quiet, I spend my splurge money on you and this is the thanks I get? Fine I'll just take it back." 

"Maria." Liz said to her as the girl smiled at her. 

"I was just teasing. So what'd I miss?" 

"Nothing good. I just woke up." Liz said, covering for Kyle's floorshow. 

"I just cooked dinner." Kyle said, grateful that Liz didn't rat him out. 

"Great, you two are the most boring people I know. It's a good thing I came with you. Who knows what would have happened." Maria said emphatically before walking into her room. 

Liz and Kyle just watched her go before Liz turned to him. 

"We might have cut loose." Liz laughed as Kyle blushed in embarrassment. 

****

A/N: Hey guys and gals, sorry it took such a long time to post this. By the way if anyone has seen my muse could you please tell me. She ran off again and I can't seem to find her.** R&R!!**


	5. A New Day

**__**

Part 5: A New Day

****

6:00 a.m.

Kyle woke up to the sound of his buzzing alarm clock. He tried to get a radio clock but Maria insisted that it woke her up when she didn't need to be awake. Like he always did he rolled off his bed onto the floor to do pushups. Some habits were hard to break. He could hear Liz coming out of the bathroom, her visits were only getting more frequent. He tried to ignore it, that's what pregnant ladies did, right? They threw up, they got tired, and sore. He just hated seeing Liz that way, especially when Max would kill him for Liz being sick. He didn't want anything to happen to her or Maria, they were his only family now.

He quickly finished his pushups and walked over to his closet. He pulled on one of his t-shirts and jeans before walking out of his room. He always showered at night because he never wanted to be stuck in the bathroom when Liz had morning sickness. It kind of creeped him out. Maria showered in the morning when Liz had left to work.

The kitchen was cool, it always was in the morning. He hated going to work so early. He worked in a warehouse and it was always colder out there. He ate his breakfast before quickly walking out the door. He put the key in the ignition and started the car. Today was his day to use the car.

****

12:00 p.m.

Lunch, it was one of Kyle's favorite words. He always went over to the nearest Subway and got one of the Atkins wraps. Maria worked in the store right next store to Subway so he stopped in there to eat with her. Today she had the day off so it was her turn to clean the house. They all at least at one day off every couple of weeks, they took turns alternating. He walked down the main street which had become so familiar to him that it was almost like home. Almost.

Occasionally he saw Anne, Zira's daughter, because she worked at Burger King and that was on the main street also. He loved the summer time, it was warm and refreshing, and from what he understood it wouldn't last long. Winter's here were cold and bitter, he was just hoping that it wasn't too cold when Liz had the baby.

The baby, that was another story all together. He had been supportive at first, but now the reality had sunken in, he was going to be this kids only male role model. And while that delighted him, it also scared him. He wasn't this kids natural father, it wasn't his place, and yet he was the one to be the fill in dad. He didn't know how to do that, not when his own father was millions of miles away.

As he was walking back from Subway he started thinking about his life. They all started out on this whirlwind adventure because they wanted to help people, and not get killed. He, Liz, and Maria weren't really helping anyone, they were hiding. He wanted to help. As he passed Burger King he realized his answer.

****

6:00 p.m.

Kyle walked into the house and noticed the smell of pizza. Pizza was now a familiar smell to him, to them all. They woke up, they smelt pizza, they went to sleep, they smelt pizza. He couldn't really decide whether it was a drawback or an advantage of living in the pizza capital of the world.

Maria was in front of the stove while Liz was sitting at the kitchen table. They seemed to be talking about something and he noticed how every couple minutes Maria would open the oven and check inside. He didn't know how to tell them this, they would either be very angry or very happy.

"Hey guys!" He said as he made his presence known.

"Hey you. How was work?" Liz asked.

"It was all right, I got an idea and I wanted to share it with you." He said shakily.

"Sorry Kyle, but we don't know nothing about cars." Maria laughed at him.

"No….it's something else, something important." He said as he sat down.

"You can tell us anything, you know that." Liz said comfortingly.

"I wish I could." Kyle said dramatically.

"You can. Just open up. We are all that we have right now, if you don't tell us, who are you going to tell?" Maria said as she kneeled in front of him.

He looked at them long and hard, they were going to hate him. As if they knew what was coming they each started to cry. These girls were all he had, he was all they had. If something were to happen to him no one would be around to protect them, to protect the baby.

"I joined…I joined the fire department." Kyle said in a shaky voice while he waited for their reaction. His eyes were closed tightly, he didn't want to see the look on their faces.

As he was about to open them after a long moments silence he felt a hand whack his head.

"You idiot, next time you come home rambling about something important and how you can't tell us and then tell us something that should be life threatening to all of us and it isn't we are going to kill you!" Maria yelled at him.

He opened his eyes and looked at them.

"Don't you ever scare us like that! We thought that something happened!" Liz warned, equally upset.

"I thought you guys would hate me for this." He defended himself.

"Why in the world would we hate you for joining the fire department you loon?!" Maria yelled before leaving the room.

"She's right." Liz said to him.

"Just please don't hit me." Kyle said as he put his hands over his head in defense. Liz just sighed and walked out of the room.

****

12:00 a.m.

Kyle sat on the living room couch watching a movie on one of the many HBO channels that they received via Digital Cable. The girls hadn't spoken to him all night, he really didn't blame them. But then again, if he came home and acted like it was nothing they would have flipped out because he was going to be risking his life fighting fires. Women.

As he started to drift off he was woken up by the sound of the flushing toilet and Liz making her way to the couch.

"Morning." She greeted him.

"Hey." He said while yawning.

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" Liz asked.

"Yeah, and then I have to go over to the Fire department for my pager. I might need the car a little more now." He said while looking at the screen. The movie he had been watching was now over and another was starting.

"I just want you to know that we aren't mad at you for doing something great with your life, you're going to be saving peoples lives Kyle. We know how much that'll mean to you. It's just, when you came home, we were scared that something had happened. We can't afford to lose each other. We're all that we have." She stated tearfully.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere." He pulled her close for a hug.

They jumped apart quickly when they heard the opening credits to the movie. The song was familiar and as the words started Kyle just groaned.

Been working so hard,

Keep punching my card

Eight hours, for what?   
Oh, tell me what I got   
I get this feeling   
That time's just holding me down

I'll hit the ceiling   
Or else I'll tear up this town…

"Only me." He groaned into his hands.

"Ha ha. That's priceless. Come on, sing for me Kyle." Liz said while laughing.

"I am not singing."

"Come on." Liz pouted out her bottom lip. "Please. I'll sing too."

"As tempting as that sounds, no."

"Jack, get back   
C'mon before we crack   
Lose your blues   
Everybody cut footloose" Liz sand along.

"Liz, that's not funny."

"You're playing so cool   
Obeying every rule   
Dig way down in your heart   
You're yearning, burning for some" Liz kept singing.

Finally Kyle broke down and joined her.

"Somebody to tell you   
That life ain't passing you by   
I'm trying to tell you   
It will if you don't even try   
You can fly if you'd only cut   
Loose, footloose" They sang into the night.

**A/N:** Hey, I hope you liked this part. And to avoid any confusion I just wanted to say that the last chapter, this chapter, and the next chapter will be kinda like 'a day in the life of ' chapters. Maria's next so don't go far. I'm gonna try to get it out before I go on vacation to catch up with my muse. :) Hope you all liked this part.** R&R!!**


	6. What a Day

**__**

Part 6: What a day!

8:00 a.m.

Liz had already left for work just moments ago, and Kyle left an hour ago, so that left Maria alone in the house. _Peace sweet, peace_. Liz had been barfing up a storm this morning and it ruined her sleep. Kyle had a call at one in the morning, to Maria that was just wrong. Who in their right mind would have a fire at one in the morning? Maria shook her head before closing her eyes. As soon as she did she heard the phone ring. _Just let it ring, _she told herself. After four more rings the answering machine picked up.

**__**

"Hey, you've reached Nick, Vanessa, and Kathleen. We're unable to answer the phone right now so if you'll just leave your name, number, and a message we'll get back to you ASAP. Have a nice day."

**__**

"Vanessa, it's Nicky." Her boss said from the phone. "Donna called in sick today and we need you to come into work early."

**__**

Maria groaned and rolled out of bed. The cordless phone was sitting on her nightstand so she just pushed the button to stop the message.

**__**

"Hey Nick, I'm here…No you didn't wake me up…sure, I'll be right there." Maria said into the receiver before pushing the button and groaning. There goes her extra sleep time.

**__**

Maria walked into the kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal and munched it down. She didn't need milk, they all had grown accustomed to eating cereal without milk. Grocery shopping days were few and far between, milk was top of their list this week. She quickly finished her cereal and ran to the bathroom, she didn't need the t-shirt nazi on her back all day.

**__**

12:00 p.m.

Maria sat on the busted up old stool in the store of _Godfathers_. She honestly didn't know why she kept this job, the pay sucked, her boss was a slave driver, and that sleazy Neil kept on hitting on her. Neil always wore a baseball hat, probably because he had horrible hair. He was constantly giving her that cheesy smile that made her cringe. He was no Michael, that was for sure.

**__**

"Hey Vanessa, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do something tonight." Neil said casually as he unloaded five boxes full of school uniform shirts that had to be put on hangers.

**__**

"Not that it's any of your business Neil, but I do have plans so fortunately we won't be able to do anything." Maria grinned at him.

**__**

"You are such a tease Stevens." Neil smiled widely as he walked back out to Nick's van to get more boxes.

**__**

Maria grinned as she took each shirt out of its box and put it on its appropriate hanger. When would this day end?

**__**

6:00 p.m.

Maria strolled into the house at a very late hour. Liz and Kyle weren't home, Kyle probably had a call, and Liz was probably at work. She had a double shift today and it hadn't occurred to Maria to ask her when. They had become closer with all the running they had been doing but they all seemed to be drifting now. Kyle with his new _purpose_ in life was causing friction within the group. He was constantly out fighting fires or getting training or hanging with the _guys_ from the department. It seemed ironic to her that her boss and now brother shared the same names.

Maria walked into the kitchen and looked around. Wait today was the 30th, that meant that today Liz had a doctors appointment. She promised Liz that she would be there for her and she wasn't. She had to hurry or she would miss it.

**__**

8:00 p.m.

Maria ran into the hospital. She was grateful to the Williams', Jim had given her a ride to the hospital after she ran over to their house begging for one. The doctors office was just down the hall, she just hoped that she made it in time.

**__**

She ran faster than she ever thought possible. Finally she made it to the maternity ward where Liz had her appointments. Quickly checking with the front desk she was relieved to know that there was a back up and Liz just went in. She soon found the room and entered slowly.

**__**

"Maria?!" Liz said in surprise.

**__**

"I didn't think you were going to make it." Kyle said but smiled at her.

**__**

"And miss this, you two must be crazy. I'm this kids Aunt, and aunts don't miss special appointments like this." Maria smiled at them and walked over to Liz's side.

**__**

Soon the doctor entered the room and examined Liz over. When he was done he looked at the odd triplet.

**__**

"Would you like to hear the heartbeat?" He asked Liz. Liz just smiled and nodded.

**__**

He told them that the goo that he was placing on Liz's stomach would be cold and from Liz's reaction, it was. Soon the whole room filled with the sound of a heartbeat. Kyle held onto Liz's right hand, while Maria held her left. Maria and Liz felt tears entering her eyes and Kyle just smiled proudly.

**__**

"Nice and healthy." The doctor noted before cleaning off the goo and walking out.

**__**

"Did you hear that? Nice and healthy." Kyle said in awe.

**__**

"Oh, Lizzie, this is great!" Maria squeezed Liz tightly.

**__**

"You guys, do you know what this means?" Liz asked and they all smiled at her. "We're gonna have a baby." She squealed and Maria threw her arms around them both.

**__**

"And I'm gonna spoil this kid rotten." Maria said as they stayed locked in their firm embrace.

**__**

Everything was going to be just fine. **__**

**A/N: **Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. I'm gonna try to work extra hard to get one more chapter out before I go away. **R&R!!**


	7. Go Team

**__**

Part 7: Go Team

Kyle, Maria, and Liz walked slowly back into the house that night. Maria had given Jim the ok to go home now that she was getting a ride back home with Kyle and Liz. She thanked him and he went on his way. They all couldn't believe that this was really happening. Sure with all the morning sickness they knew but somehow this made it all the more real.

After that appointment they never missed one. By the middle of October their friendship had grown into something more, it was like they were really blood. Their friendship with the Williams' had also grown. They were now invited to all Sunday dinners and they didn't have to have an invitation. Zira made them food and brought it over. Kyle basked in the warm glow that surrounded her ravioli's, or spaghetti, or ooh barbeque chicken.

During this time they had seen less and less of their new friend Amanda. It never occurred to them that she had a life. A life in which she didn't have anytime for anything. One day Maria, Kyle, and Liz walked over to Zira's house, which was only right next door, and saw that Zira, Jim, and Ariel were heading out. Living in Old Forge had started to make them curious, so of course they had to ask.

"Hey, where you three off too?" Kyle shouted to them. Ariel rolled her eyes and jumped in the car.

"Hello, Nick, Vanessa, Kathleen. We're going to a football game, would you three care to join us?" Zira asked politely.

"Who's playing?" Kyle asked, his interest peaked.

"Old Forge against Wyoming Area." Jim told them. "Amanda's a twirler so we go to at least one game to watch her."

"A twirler?" Maria whispered to Liz. Liz just shrugged and smiled.

"So this is a High School sport?" Kyle said as he walked towards the car.

Before they knew it they were driving to the football field that was just a couple streets away. Maria and Liz thought that they had never seen that kind of goofy happy look on Kyle's face since before the whole alien chaos came about. It was weird how simple things could make them nostalgic. Like for Kyle, just being in the presence of sports made him think of home, of his glory days before Max Evans, and before the days of running from the law.

They paid for their tickets and entered through the main gate. The high school atmosphere was written all over. Signs decorated the field and teenagers as well as children were running around in Old Forge t-shirts. As they walked around the stadium they noticed a group of girls sitting in the stands. They were decorated in shiny gold, white, or blue costumes, and one of them is Amanda.

"So this is what you're doing when you're not hanging out with runaways." Maria said to her. She was clearly shocked about their presence.

"Why are you guys here?"

"It's good to see you too beautiful." Kyle said dreamily. "Your grandparents invited us. We had no idea you were a…what was it called again?" Kyle asked one of the girls.

Amanda let out an amused laugh. "Twirler, I'm a baton twirler."

"Right." Kyle said with a grin. "What exactly does a baton twirler do? I forgot." He said, trying to sound like he really did forget.

"You'll see at half time." She smiled before turning around.

* * *

Maria sat comfortably next to Liz who sat next to a standing Kyle. They all tried to squeeze next to the Williams' but it was proving very difficult.

"Candace would you move down some more so Nick can sit?" Zira asked her granddaughter.

"No really Zira, it's fine." Kyle objected.

"Nonsense." She objected to his abjection and waved her hand at Candace to move down.

"Grams, we're like already smooshed and I'm like sitting on Tim's lap already, there is no space." Candace said to her grandmother.

"Oh Boo who." Kyle murmmers.

"Nick." Liz scolds.

"What?" He asks defensivly.

"Wow, she's really good!" Maria said while trying to change the subject. They all looked at Amanda who was dancing on the field with a round hoop with a baton going through the middle.

"Yeah, this is what makes her standout. My baby." Candace says tearily.

"Funny, I didn't know you had a daughter, although I can't say that it would surprise me." Kyle shot at her.

"You know, you're a funny guy Nick. You should take that act of yours on the road, like now." Candace said with a smug smile on her face.

"Candace." Zira scolded her twenty year old granddaughter.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." Kyle said before walking away.

Liz and Maria just looked at each other. They had been on the road, and look where that led them.

"We'll see you guys later." Liz whispered trying to force back her tears.

Her and Maria ran past their objections and followed Kyle out into the parking lot.

"Kyle!" Maria yelled for him to stop.

He turned around and for the first time in a long time, they saw him cry. Fresh tears were rolling down his face, quickly replacing old ones. The three of them walked closer to each other in the seemingly empty parking lot, closing the chasm that seemed to have settled there. Kyle reached for the girls and they welcomed the feel of his arms around them. They each cried, they cried for their families, their friends, themselves. It was a long and scary road that they were on and they didn't know if they would be able to ever go home. But they did know one thing…

…They had each other, and for now, that was enough.

A/N: Thanks for all the feedback. I'm sorry if I don't answer questions right off the bat, it's just that I don't want to ruin any endings, or beginnings. I hope you all liked it. I know I keep saying this so I'm going to phrase it a different way. I'm gonna try and get AS MANY new parts out as I can before I go away. **R&R!!**


	8. A Time For Thanks

**__**

Part 8: A Time For Thanks

Kyle, Maria, and Liz walked up the back steps to the younger Williams' household. Amanda, her parents, and her sister hosted Thanksgiving every year and this year they were invited to join in the holiday. It was only 11:30 but the girls thought it nice if they volunteered their helping hands for work. It was nice of these people, who barely knew them, to invite them over on a holiday in which they were severely alone.

Liz was now starting to show and they had to go maternity clothes shopping but they had no idea where to go. Maria was in shopping mode, and Liz knew that as soon as they found out where they could buy maternity outfits there would be no stopping her. For now Liz was wearing Kyle's pants, and one of her t-shirts. She found herself lucky that she still fit in her shirts _at least_.

Life had been complicated since that day at the football game. Somehow they had escaped all the reality of growing up till then. Now they were faced with the facts of Bills, rent, utilities, and other things that adults had to handle. Soon their part time jobs were just not cutting it. Maria had been searching for jobs with a bigger salary but it was hard seeing as how she had no college degree. Liz was unable to work anywhere else except at Turkey Hill because of her pregnancy. Kyle asked his boss for a raise and instead of a raise he got a promotion. His boss told him that he was doing a fine job and that he was pleased to see 'Nick' take a more assertive role.

Amanda had tried to help them out, but they wouldn't accept her offerings and thanked her anyway. With the baby coming in only a few short months they were running out of options. They could barely support themselves, how could they support a baby.

Shifting back to the now, they found themselves listening to Debbie Williams (Amanda's mother) yell at her husband for something. They had been warned that her mother got very stressed out over the holiday season and they were now seeing it firsthand.

"We're here." Anne called out from the doorway with Ariel in tow.

Ariel took one look at the three and rolled her eyes. "Oh great." She muttered.

"Hey babe, why don't you and I go set the table." Candace took Ariel's hand and led her away.

"Deb, anything you need help with?" Anne asked her sister-in-law.

"No, I've got everything pretty much under control." Deb plastered on a fake smile, which to the three who were excellent at lying was a total fake.

"I think I'm gonna go do the manly thing and bond with Mr. Williams in front of the TV." Kyle said before walking out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go and see what Amanda's up to." Maria said while she left the kitchen also.

Liz sat in silence for a long while with Mrs. Williams just sitting near the counter waiting for the Turkey to finish.

"If you want to finish getting ready, I can wait for the turkey." Liz suggested. Amanda also told them that her mother never changed from the outfit she was wearing the day before. She stayed up all night preparing things.

"No, but thank you for the offer." Debbie said while turning away.

"My parents run a restaurant." Liz blurted out.

"Really. That's nice." She said, not knowing how to respond to her.

"It was in my family for…Come to think of it, I have no idea. Funny how things you've known all your life seem to slip when you miss them most." Liz said to herself.

"Do you miss your parents?" Debbie asked.

"More than anyone could know." Liz said silently before wiping a tear from her face. "Sorry, pregnancy hormones."

"Yeah I know how that is." Debbie said with a smile. "Does the baby's father know?"

"Know what? That he's having a baby?" Debbie nodded her reply. "No, he doesn't know. I didn't even know."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"No." Liz said her answer simply. "We went in separate directions."_ literally_, she added in her head.

Soon the doorbell rang, halting any further discussion. Dinner began and their forced façade was put back up. Even through the lies, they truly felt thankful.

* * *

That night they had simple TV dinners and ate them at the kitchen table. They shared their thanks and hopes. It was truly one of the best thanksgiving dinners they had ever had. Each one of them couldn't believe how badly things were going right now and yet they still maintained a sense of rightness.

"I'd like to make a toast." Maria said while clanking her green soda glass with her fork. "I think that this is one of the best holidays that I have ever had. I mean, yeah being with my mom was like the best but this is like…I don't know. The three of us have become like family, I never thought I would feel that way about a guy who wasn't Alex," She directed towards Kyle. "Or felt so happy at becoming an aunt. This adventure is ten times better than sitting in a stuffy old van with three other members." She finished with wiping a tear from her eye.

"I want to say something also." Liz stood up. "This whole…situation, has been really hard on all of us. I really wanted to thank you guys for just being here with me while I'm going through this. You guys had to leave behind somethings too and it was just to come with me, just to make sure I was safe. I've never felt more loved in my life."

"Except when you were making junior there with King Max." Kyle said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess that's true, but this comes close second." Liz smiled as she sat down.

"Well, I believe it's my turn." Kyle said while standing. "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the academy. I never would have been able to fulfill my role as 'stand-in man' to such perfection if it wasn't for them. I would also like to thank the fans, yeah, definitely the fans." He said making the two girls laugh. "No, but really. You guys are what makes this such an adventure. I mean, please living with two other guys on the road, plus three other girls is just so boring. Being the only male, alpha male as I like to call him, is making me grow up…come to think of it, why am I still here?" He said with a laugh before Maria pulled him back into his seat.

"Ok Buddha boy that's enough out of you. Let's eat."

They ate, still talking about the future they hoped to have and the dreams that they lost, but no one cried. They realized that their losses made them stronger, and they needed all the strength they could get, March was coming faster than they realized. And so was danger.


	9. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

**__**

Part 9: We Wish You A Merry Christmas…

Kyle finished putting the star on the tree as Liz entered the room. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and Kyle couldn't help but wonder what it was this time that set her off.

"It's just so beautiful." Liz wept.

Kyle nodded and then headed for the kitchen where Maria was furiously finishing off her presents.

"You ok?" He asked her. She jumped at being startled but quickly calmed down.

"Yeah, just super. Look at what I did." She showed him the tag on the gift. It read 'To Spaceboy'.

"You bought him a present?" Kyle questioned.

"I know, why? I just, I miss him. I miss Max, I even miss the Christmas Nazi herself." Maria said.

"We all miss them. Although I don't miss Isabel as much." Kyle said before laughing. "I think it's especially hard on Liz. All she does is cry."

"Compared to what she always does; cry. Don't worry, she won't be crying in the delivery room. She'll be screaming." Maria said joyfully while patting Kyle on the back.

"Why do I have to play labor coach for that again?" He yelled after her.

* * *

Liz slowly lowered herself down into one of Zira's chairs. She was bigger now. Her stomach was enlarged and it proved that there was a child in there. Her maternity clothes were slowly becoming small on her, which only made her sad, which made her two friends sad.

Tonight was Christmas Eve and the Williams' invited them over for dinner. Amanda persuaded them with the appealing notion of presents and free food. Zira had been delighted when they said yes and began cooking immediately. When they entered the house their minds went back to what Amanda told them when they first met. Holidays. It was a holiday in an Italian town, that meant food, food, and more food.

Kyle's and Liz's faces lit up when they smelt the air. It sure smelt good. Kyle found his way into the kitchen and Liz and Maria made themselves comfortable on the couch and chair. Soon after they arrived Amanda and her family came also. Tim, Candace's boyfriend, walked in with them. Ariel was also there, waiting for her mother to get off work and join them. Maria couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about Ariel peaked her curiosity. She figured that she find out soon enough, right?

"Dinners ready!" Zira called into the room.

Liz groaned and Kyle walked over to help her from the chair.

"I'm as big as a house. This sucks." Liz said as Kyle eased her to her feet.

"You are not as big as a house, incase you haven't noticed we are in a house so there." Kyle stuck his tongue out at her before they all went to the kitchen to eat.

* * *

Liz once again found herself sitting on the chair, even thought she knew she would never get out without help. Zira handed out presents to everyone. Liz, Maria, and Kyle were surprised when they each got a gift from Zira and Jim, Anne and Ariel, and Jim, Debbie, Candace, and Amanda. They eagerly unwrapped them after saying their thanks. They then sat around and talked about town gossip over coffee, candies, and cookies.

The whole night Liz could feel some kind of humming at the back of her head, as did Kyle and Maria. When they arrived home and went to sleep they never expected to find themselves in the desert. Liz was skinny, and Maria was brunette. Kyle knew what was going on and tried hard to wake up but nothing worked.

"You three had to let yourselves give the green light before we could come in." A female voice said from behind them.

"Damned holidays." Maria mumbled.

"So, what's up?" A gruff male voice said, coming out from behind the female.

"Well, if it isn't the podsquad. We're not interested in telling you where we are so you can just leave now." Kyle said while standing in front of Liz.

"Listen, we didn't call you here. Something else called all of us here." Isabel said.

"Maybe she's right, because you know Maria you're back to being brunette."

"As opposed to being what? Green." Michael said sharply.

"No, Guerin, I died my hair blonde." Maria said while sticking out her tongue.

"And Liz, you're not…!" Kyle cut himself off before he could go any further.

"We look like we did the last time we all saw each other." Max said, stepping out from behind Michael.

"Max." Liz said almost breathlessly.

"Maybe this is our chance to say what we feel." Maria suggested.

"If that's the case then fine. I hate all of you!" Isabel yelled at them. "We trusted you and you just vanished. We cared about you and you just disappeared."

"There were extenuating circumstances, Isabel!" Maria yelled back.

"Really, well enlighten us! I'd really like to hear this one." Michael said sarcastically.

"Why should we bother? You'd just take it and throw it back in our faces!" Maria yelled at him.

"Don't you understand what we've been going through?! We didn't even know if you were alive. God you have NO idea what it was like for us!" Isabel yelled.

"Really, you think it's just been peaches and friggin cream for us?! We've had to find a place to live, get jobs, pay bills…do you know how hard it is to get a job when you never went to college?!" Kyle screamed.

This whole time Liz and Max kept quiet, carefully staying on the fringe of the argument. They just stared at each other. Liz could not believe that she was standing there, just standing there. She missed him too much, she needed him. Slowly she started walking towards him, not hearing everyone's protests. He did the same, just walked. When they were finally at arms length he took her up and held her close.

Maria and Kyle knew what this meant to Liz, this meant the world to her. Isabel and Michael knew what this meant to Max, this meant that there might be a chance.

"I've been…so scared…without you." Liz cried into his shoulder.

"Baby, you don't have to worry…Just tell me where you are and…we'll come and get you." Max cried out into her hair.

Immediately Liz stiffened against him. She pulled away and walked back towards Kyle and Maria. They couldn't do that, they couldn't tell them where they were. As much as Liz wanted him to hold her in his arms for real, they couldn't. Kyle reached out and pulled her to him and Maria. Maria held onto her hand as they stared at the three aliens in fear and trepidation. They couldn't, they just couldn't.

They each forced themselves to wake up, and each one did.

They all sat up in their beds gasping for breath. Liz immediately ran to the bathroom where she threw all the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Kyle walked into the living room in a daze. Maria sat in bed, not moving. They really did miss them, but they needed to get over it. That was the past, this was the now, and the three aliens weren't involved with their now. They just had to keep telling themselves that and maybe one day it would be true.

* * *

Liz sat at the kitchen table with her coffee mug in her right hand and her left hand on her stomach. She didn't hear Kyle or Maria wake up or walk into the kitchen to sit with her.

"Merry Christmas." Kyle said with less than joyful tones.

"Merry Christmas." Maria repeated.

More silence filled the room until finally Liz couldn't take it.

"Look at us. We must be the most pathetic people on earth. It's Christmas, we're alive, what more can we ask for?!" She said to them.

"A millions dollars would be nice." Kyle stated.

"You know what, you're right. They don't own us, we are our own individuals. Let's go open presents." Maria said as she stood up.

They each smiled and walked into the living room to open up all the presents under their tree. When they entered the room they saw that their small stack of presents had multiplied into something bigger.

"Holy Santa Claus! I think I'm entering believer territory." Kyle said.

"Here's a note." Maria said as she lifted a note from their coffee table. "_You three have given us so much joy and happiness. We appreciate your friendship more than you will ever know. Thank you for being here with us. May you have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. The Williams'._" Maria read.

"First, free food and now this. I really love that family." Kyle said as he dove for the tree.

"So do I." Maria said while joining him.

Liz stood back watching them go at each other and felt something move inside of her. Was that? No it couldn't be…could it?

"Guys…" Liz said to them, never taking her eyes off her stomach.

"Yo, what's up?" Kyle said from underneath the wrapping paper of a gift.

"I think the baby just moved." Liz said while smiling.

"No, it's not time, we haven't got half the things we need for baby Bob. Oh dear I am in panic mode. I like my hands not broken!" Kyle panicked.

"Buddha boy, give it a rest. She said the baby moved, not came out. Gee, why did we invite him to come with us?" Maria said as she smiled at Liz.

They each took turns feeling the baby move and when it was Kyle's turn the baby delivered a strong kick.

"Hey, what'd I ever do to you?" Kyle asked defensively to Liz's stomach.

"I think that means that baby Bob likes you." Maria said to him.

"This is so cool." Kyle said sounding like a surfer.

"I think this is officially the best Christmas ever!" Maria exclaimed excitedly.

"Ditto!" Kyle said right after her as they led Liz to the couch.

"Kyle, open your present from me." Liz said happily.

Kyle reached under the tree and pulled out a rectangular box. He greedily unwrapped it and looked at the gift in his hand.

"Footloose!?" Maria asked. "Is there something I don't know?"

"No!" Kyle said just a little too fast.

"Ok, whatever." Maria said suspiciously.

"I have a gift for you guys. I got a second job." Kyle said to them.

"What?!" The both exclaimed.

"It's a coaching job at Old Forge High School. Their assistant basketball coach backed out at the last minute so Amanda volunteered me for the job. Her father is head coach and he said that he would be delighted to have me work under him." Kyle told them.

"Wait a minute. Don't you work with Mrs. Williams at Keystone?" Maria asked him. He nodded in reply.

"And isn't Amanda's father captain at the fire department?" Liz asked.

"Yeah, so what?" Kyle asked.

"Nothing, it's just funny how every job you have a Williams is also involved in." Maria told him.

He looked at them and smiled. That family had given them so much. They were truly a blessing to them. They finished opening their presents and got ready to eat lunch at Zira's. It truly was a Merry Christmas.

**A/N:** Ok, here's some info. My mom's bringing her laptop on vacation with us so if I get a chance I will most definitely write some more. People keep asking about the danger that's coming, well I'm not going to give you a definite incidence but it won't be happening anytime soon.** R&R!!**


	10. And A Happy New Year

**__**

Part 10: …And A Happy New Year

Kyle put the last silver balloon up and stood back to admire his craft work. They had agreed that they should host a New Years Eve party. Liz was set with making the chicken. Jim and Debbie were bringing lobster and crab legs, Candace was bringing a cake, and Zira and Jim were bringing ice cream. Maria had not gotten back from her new job at the Steamtown mall, which was in a nearby city. They found that the greatest advantage of living in Old Forge was that they were basically fifteen minutes away from everything. Two of the closest cities were Scranton, which was where the Steamtown mall was, and Wilkes-Barrie, which was where the Wyoming Valley mall was.

Kyle heard Liz curse from the kitchen and walked in to see what was going on.

"Hey you ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, except for the fact that I'm so big that I can't bend over to put the chicken in the oven." Liz complained.

"Here, let me do that. You should be resting." Kyle said to her.

"Kyle, do not patronize me." Liz warned before sitting at the table.

Kyle rolled his eyes before going back to work. Liz had gotten moodier as the days went by and he thought that her impending doctors appointment had something to do with it. She didn't like going to the doctors but no one ever knew why.

Liz stood up abruptly from the table and went into the living room to lay down. As soon as she did Kyle heard the back door open and close. Maria came running into the house covered with the freshly fallen snow.

"It's a friggin blizzard out there." She said as she shook her hair free of the snow.

"You don't say." Kyle laughed.

"Where's Liz?" Maria asked ignoring his comment.

"She went to sleep. She's been tired a lot lately."

"She's pregnant, what do you expect?" Maria asked before sitting at the table.

"When's everyone coming over?" Kyle asked Maria.

As soon as the words left his mouth the house filled with the sound of the doorbell.

"About now." Maria smiled.

They both left the kitchen to let in their guests.

* * *

"5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered as they watched the ball drop.

Maria gave hugs to everyone and kissed Kyle on the cheek, Kyle hugged all the girls and shook all the men's hands, Liz was greeted by the sound of cheering as she exited the bathroom.

"Did I miss it?" She asked tearily. When no one answered she started to cry. "I did miss it."

"Sweetie." Maria said while going to cheer up her friend. "You didn't miss it, you were just in another room."

"Yeah, besides, the ball was ugly this year. It had all these burnt out bulbs and stuff, really nasty looking." Kyle said to her. Everyone laughed as Liz only cried more. This was going to be one heck of a new year.

* * *

"I don't want to be here unless this kid is coming out." Liz stated firmly from her seat on the examination table.

"Liz, for the last time, you have to come here. It's good for the baby." Maria said from behind a magazine. Kyle couldn't make this appointment because he had basketball practice. No one really minded as long as money was flowing.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Boise. Dr. Fillips won't be your doctor anymore." A young man entered the room. He was 6'4", he had blonde hair, blue eyes, and he looked kinda like Brad Pitt.

Maria immediately dropped her magazine and stared at him with an open mouth. He was a God. He was perfect, he was well built and toned.

"This is unacceptable." Liz spoke up.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience ma'am but…"

"I'm not a ma'am. I'm a Miss. Got me." Liz said to him.

"Miss…Evans things will be just fine. Now can we begin the exam?" He asked cautiously.

"Kathleen just let the man do his job." Maria nudged her.

"Well, it's not your…you know…he's looking up!" Liz whispered to her.

"Not yet." Maria whispered dreamily.

"What!" Liz almost yelled. Maria just shrugged.

"Is this going to be ok with you Miss. Evans?" He asked her. She had to admit it, he was kind of sweet.

"All right. But, if I don't want you in the delivery room than you're outta there." Liz warned.

"Fine by me. Ok, why don't you slide back and let's take a look shall we?" He said and Liz complied.

Maria kept on staring at him. When it was time to leave he met them at the front desk as they were signing out.

"Hey Dr. Boise, what's up?" Maria asked casually.

"Oh nothing. I just wanted to make sure that you two got everything all right." He said.

"Yep, and I even scheduled for a room for the day I'm suppose to deliver, like you said." Liz said happily.

"I just wanted to let you two know that I think it's really great that you're having a child." He told both girls.

Their smiles immediately faded.

"We're what?" Maria stumbled out.

"I'm all for gay couples having children…" He was then cut off by Liz.

"We're not…I'm not…no my husband got me pregnant! I'm fully straight." Liz defended herself.

"Me too, gees I would not have put up with my ex-boyfriend if I wasn't!" Maria defended herself.

"Ok, hold your fire." He said while raising his arms in a mock surrender. "My mistake." He said embarrassed.

"It's all right. We're just best friends." Liz said, now calm.

"Ok, well, I think it's very nice of you, Vanessa, to be there for your friend." He said admiringly to Maria.

"Well, anything for a cause." She smiled and nervously laughed.

"Ugh, the 'cause' will be in the car." Liz said to her before leaving the waiting area.

"I'm really sorry about that, I just…"

"It's ok, really." Maria said. "Would you want to go out to dinner with me?" She blurted out.

"I would love too, but I'm paying. At least let me make up for embarrassing you." Maria smiled at him.

"Of course."


	11. Almost Paradise

**__**

Part 11: Almost Paradise

Liz and Maria slowly entered the school building where Kyle's game was at. He was coaching JV basketball as one of his jobs as assistant coach. He really seemed to love it and the girls were so proud of him. Tonight was a big game to Kyle. The team was facing their rivals the Riverside Vikings, to the girls it was no big deal, but to the students it was battle. Amanda had been getting herself pumped up for this game all week long and by now she was starting to bug everyone. As long as she didn't sit with them tonight they would be fine.

The two girls looked like high school students, dressed in Old Forge Blue Devil t-shirts. Kyle noticed them enter and smiled at them, seeing as how the team was loosing and he needed all the support he could get. The girls sympathetically smiled back before turning their attention towards the game. Boy, Kyle was getting crushed.

"Russell's here!" Maria squealed with delight.

"Who's…oh." Liz asked but then saw who Maria was happy to see, her doctor. "Why do you have to date my doctor?"

"Because he's so hot." Maria said happily as he came to sit next to the two girls.

"Hey, Kathleen." He said to Liz and she merely nodded a hello. "Hey Vanessa." He spoke smoothly to Maria.

"Hey Russell. How was work?" Maria asked with a smile on her face.

"Great, I delivered two sets of twins today. It's a full moon so if I get called in I'd like to say I'm sorry ahead of time." He smiled and then leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

"Apology accepted. So, full moon, that means that everyone's popping right." She smiled and nudged Liz.

"Hello, only seven months pregnant here. There will be no popping tonight." Liz said to them before turning her attention back to the game.

After halftime the game went along much better, the devils managed to pull up their score and win the game at the buzzer. When it was finally over and Kyle came up to see them Liz smiled at him.

"If I was nine months pregnant I think you would've had a woman in labor. Very nice game coach." Liz said while hugging him.

"Where's Vanessa?" He asked, keeping up their false names.

"Oh she and Dr. Boise went out for dinner." Liz admitted reluctantly.

"Why does she have to date him?" Kyle whined before putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her out of the gym.

* * *

Liz sat on the couch next to Kyle as they watched the movie Liz got him for Christmas. She let a few tears drip down her face as Ren and Ariel kissed to the song Almost Paradise.

"Kyle would sing this song for me?" Liz asked out of the blue.

"What?" He asked in surprise.

"Please…" Liz pleaded.

He looked at her hard and long before starting to sing.

"_I thought that dreams belonged to other men   
'Cuz each time I got close   
They'd fall apart again   
  
I feared my heart would beat in secrecy   
I faced the nights alone   
Oh, how could I have known   
That all my life I only needed you   
  
Almost paradise   
We're knocking on heaven's door   
Almost paradise   
How could we ask for more   
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes   
Paradise   
  
It seems like perfect love's so hard to find   
I'd almost given up   
You must have read my mind   
  
And all these dreams I saved for a rainy day   
They're finally comin'true   
I'll share them all with you   
Cause now we hold the future in our hands   
  
Almost paradise   
We're knocking on heaven's door   
Almost paradise   
How could we ask for more   
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes   
  
And in your arms salvation's not so far away   
It's getting closer, closer every day   
  
Almost paradise   
We're knocking on heaven's door   
Almost paradise   
How could we ask for more   
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes. Paradise. Paradise_." Kyle finished singing and noticed that Liz was fast asleep on his lap. He leaned over and kissed her forehead before turning off the movie and moving so that he could also go to sleep in his room.

As he was leaving the room he noticed how small and fragile she looked, he was glad that he came with them, he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. This was paradise.

* * *

"Hey." Maria greeted Kyle in the morning.

"Hey." He said rather gruffly.

"I hope you don't mind that I came home late last night." She said.

"No, not at all. Umm, I have to get to work." He said as he left the room.

Maria just stared after him and just shrugged it off. She wondered where Liz was, she wasn't around when she woke up. Maybe she was doing some of those exercises that Russell told her to do.

* * *

That night Kyle and Liz were asked by Zira if they could sit with Nonie and Ariel while they went to Kmart. Liz of course said yes and they soon found themselves at the Williams' with a child that hated them and a 91 year old woman who just watched TV.

"I'm gonna grab a soda, you want some water or milk or something?" Kyle asked Liz.

"No, I'm gonna check on Ariel, she's been upstairs a little too long." Liz said while she tried to get up.

"No, I'll go get her." He said as he began to push her back into the chair.

"Kyle, I'm not a glass statue ok, I'm not gonna break if I walk up a couple steps." Liz told him before walking up the steps.

"Women." He muttered before going to the kitchen.

* * *

"Ariel?" Liz called out when she reached the top of the steps.

"What do you want?" Ariel said rudely from the room to her left.

"I just wanted to…Whoa, is that a deer?" Liz asked at seeing the mounted deer's head.

"That's Buster. Papa shot him when he went hunting once." Ariel told her.

"How…nice." Liz said while making sure she didn't look at it again. "Whatcha doin?" Liz asked her.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom." Ariel sighed and walked out of the room.

Liz put her hand to her head and turned to see the deer staring at her.

"Don't even say it." She said to no one and then walked out of the room.

* * *

Kyle and Liz were walking back to the house in the snow when Liz started to feel dizzy. It was like she was getting seasick or something. The whole world began to spin and she couldn't stay standing any longer. Kyle saw her sway a little and as he was about to ask her if something was wrong she collapsed.

Kyle felt his heart pounding in his chest as he caught her limp body before it hit the snow. Frantically he yelled for help from anyone. He was only half aware of Jim Williams helping him get Liz back in the house or of Zira calling 911. This could not be happening, not when Max was so far away. Kyle clung to Liz's hand as Zira placed a wet towel on Liz's forehead, she was saying something about Liz burning up.

He was vaguely aware of the whole ride to the hospital in the ambulance. He was asked to sit in the waiting room while they examined her. He knew that Maria would be here shortly, he had given the nurse the information on Liz and her doctor, and Maria was out with her doctor.

Sure enough Maria came running in the hospital doors and ran straight to Kyle while Russell ran to the ER where they were examining Liz.

"What happened?" She whispered in his ear.

"I don't know, she just collapsed." Kyle said shakily.

"Please let her be all right." He heard her pray, and silently he was praying too.

Maria fell asleep an hour ago and Kyle was now alone in the waiting room. Why wouldn't anyone tell them anything. Finally Russell came walking out the doors and Kyle gently shook Maria awake.

"What?" She asked sleepily.

"How is she?" Kyle asked as Russell came in their area.

"She's fine. Her blood pressure was a little high and her blood sugar was a little low. We want to keep her over night just for observation." Russell told them and when he saw their glum faces he smiled. "She's going to be all right. These things happen all the time, the important thing is to make sure that Kathleen and the baby are going to be ok."

They nodded and he walked back through the doors.

"At times like these I wish that Max was here. They would know what to do." Kyle said as he sat in the chair.

"I should have stayed home tonight. This wouldn't have happened if I was there. God, I was so stupid." Maria reprimanded herself.

Kyle put a hand on her back as she sat next to him.

"She's going to be all right, you heard Russell. We just have to pay a little more attention." Kyle said soothingly.

That was all they needed to do, right?

* * *

Liz walked into the house and was followed by Kyle and Maria. Maria hovered over Liz constantly and was making her get off her feet.

"Ok, do you want something to drink, how bout some tea? I'm gonna go make you tea." Maria said hyperactively.

"Maria, slow down. I'm fine." Liz said to her, stifling a laugh.

"Right, umm, how bout a pillow, you need an extra pillow." Maria ran through the house trying to find the perfect pillow.

"Humor her." Kyle said before Liz burst out laughing.

"You want me to sing you a lullaby? Umm, what can I sing?" Maria sat down to think.

"How bout Kyle sing?" Liz asked. "You know what song I'm talking about."

"No." Kyle said simply.

"Kyle, listen to the woman, God!" Maria yelled at him.

"Maria, she's pregnant not terminal. For crying out loud." Kyle yelled back.

"Kyle, please." Liz pouted.

"Fine, but only because I like you." He said before he got up and turned to face the window. Liz had an idea for how to break her news to them and thought that now was the perfect time to show them. She rubbed her hand over her stomach before Kyle started.

"_Been working so hard,_

Keep punching my card   
Eight hours, for what?   
Oh, tell me what I got   
I get this feeling   
That time's just holding me down   
I'll hit the ceiling   
Or else I'll tear up this town…" Kyle sang and Maria started to laugh.

Liz rubbed her enlarged belly and all of a sudden the soundtrack that they kept in the CD player started to play.

"_Tonight I gotta cut   
Loose, footloose   
Kick off your Sunday shoes   
Please, Louise   
Pull me offa my knees   
Jack, get back   
C'mon before we crack   
Lose your blues   
Everybody cut footloose   
You're playing so cool   
Obeying every rule   
Dig way down in your heart   
You're yearning, burning for some   
Somebody to tell you   
That life ain't passing you by_" Kyle looked panicked but kept singing. Maria now looked like she had seen a ghost and Liz thought it was time to stop. Soon the music stopped also.

"What the Hell was that?" Maria almost screeched.

"I'm with her." Kyle said.

"The other night when I passed out I think it was because the baby is developing powers." Liz smiled. "Pretty cool huh?"

"Liz, that's impossible, Zan was human, 100% human. How could this baby be anything but?" Maria asked.

"I don't know, but baby bob has some mad skill." Kyle said before walking over to Liz. "Don't you baby bob, yes you do, yes you do." Kyle started baby talk.

"Kyle, don't baby talk my stomach, wait till I actually have the baby." Liz told him.

They each laughed as the soundtrack started playing again.

"Now, that is freaky." Maria said before Kyle started singing again.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you all liked these two new parts. The next chapter will be titled First Date. I'll write more when I get back from vacation, cya soon!! **R&R!!**


	12. First Date

**__**

Part 12: First Date

Kyle walked out of the house and into the backyard. Ever since that night he kept a close eye on Liz. Today she was shopping with Maria, something that was hopefully less stressful than working. He made his way up onto the Williams' back porch and opened the door. They had been told that they were not allowed to knock on the door because they were like family and family didn't knock. He entered the house and saw Zira sitting at the kitchen table. He walked over to the refrigerator and took out a coke. It was then that Zira acknowledged him.

"Nicky, what are you doing here? Don't you have practice or something?" Zira asked him as he bent over to kiss her cheek.

"Nope, Jim gave the kids the day off on account of good behavior." Kyle said with a laugh.

"Well, that's nice. How's Kathy doing?" She asked with genuine concern.

"Better. Vanessa took her shopping today so she will definitely be in a better mood when she gets home."

"I hope so."

"So how's everything here at la casa de Williams?"

"Good. Jim went fishing around eight this morning and my mother is lounging it up in the parlor like always. Every thing is pretty normal around here. Well, except for Candace."

"Why? What's wrong with princess?" Kyle asked as he sat down.

"I wish you two wouldn't go at each other like that." Zira said before shaking her head. "She and Tim decided to go in separate directions."

"Oh what a shame." Kyle said before catching the look on Zira's face. "Sorry."

"I wish you to would just get along…just once." Zira said while trailing off.

"Zira, what's going on in that beautiful head of yours." Kyle said before sipping his soda.

"Nicky, would you possibly be interested in taking Candace out tonight?" Zira said with a mischievous little smile.

"Would I want too? No." Kyle said simply. "Candace just isn't my type."

"I'll pay you." Zira blurted out. "Thirty dollars."

"Zira…"

"40 and that's my final offer."

"You are not paying me to take her out."

"Nicky please. She needs this, and you need this. I haven't seen you go out on a date since you got here."

"I like being dateless, it gives me more time to prepare to be an uncle." Kyle said.

"Nick, please." Zira said before Candace stepped out of the bathroom.

"Well, well look what the cat dragged in. How are you Nicky?" Candace asked him sarcastically.

"It's funny you should ask that." Kyle said. "I wanted to know if you would maybe want to go out…with me." He asked before swallowing down a large lump in his throat.

"Are you serious?" Candace asked incredulously.

"Yes, how about I pick you up at seven tonight? That good for you?" Kyle asked her.

"Umm…seven's good." Candace replied still in shock. "I'm gonna go and get ready…for tonight."

"Perfect. See ya at seven." Kyle yelled after her as she left.

"Now was that so hard?" Zira asked with a smile.

"I better be getting a lot of free food for this." Kyle said before standing up and walking out of the house.

* * *

Liz looked at the door as Maria walked in. Liz had been reading a book that Kyle had gotten her and they were both reading it the book was titled 'What To Expect When You're Expecting'.

"How did things go with Russell?" Liz asked from over the book.

"I think that Kyle's gonna have to go with you to the doctors from now on." Maria said as she plopped down on the couch.

"That bad huh? What happened?"

"I told him that I wasn't ready for a serious relationship and he accused me of leading him on. Then we got into a yelling fight and I left."

"I knew that you shouldn't have gone out with my doctor. Maria do you know what a position you put me in?" Liz said as she put her book down.

"Sorry Liz, I wasn't thinking of you when I broke up with the only guy since Michael that I actually had a good time with." Maria said sarcastically.

"You actually had a good time with Michael?" Liz said before laughing. "I'm sorry, mood swings are doubled up seeing as how this baby is dancing and kicking and using powers almost twenty four/seven.."

"Where's Kyle?" Maria asked seeing as how it was quiet.

"He is in his room getting ready for his date." Liz said before standing up from the couch unsteadily.

"His what? How does he have a date? He doesn't go anywhere to meet people, let alone women."

"He's going out with Candace." Liz said with a smile.

"What?! They hate each other! I mean like really, really hate each other!"

"I know. That's what I said." Liz laughed as Kyle walked out of the room.

"Liz, do I have to wear this?" He motioned to his shirt. It was an olive green sweater with a black turtleneck underneath.

"Yes, green looks good on you." Liz said trying not to laugh.

"So, you've got date with the 'wicked witch', that is what you called her right?" Maria asked.

"Funny, her boyfriend broke up with her and Zira made me do it." Kyle said defensively.

"What she like waved a gun in your face?" Maria said while laughing.

"No, it was more like food." Liz said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Ok, where are you taking her?" Maria said after seeing Kyle's glare.

"He is taking her to this fancy restuarant on the highway towards Wilkes-Barrie. It's called The Woodlands."

"Snazzy. So does she know how to dress?" Maria asked.

"I have Amanda working on that end. She will make sure that Candace dress appropriately and I will make sure that Kyle shows up."

"Nice plan. So what am I gonna do?" Maria asked.

"You are going to take me to Lamaze class." Liz said before walking into her room to grab her purse.

"How are you going to do that? I have the car." Kyle said.

"I have a surprise for both of you." Liz said with a grin.

She led them to the backdoor. When they looked in the driveway the saw a red Volks Wagon Jetta. It looked fairly new and in good condition.

"How?" Was the only word that would form in Kyle's mouth as he stared at the car. Last he heard they were still on the verge of being broke.

"It seems that baby bob wanted to do something nice for the family. I was going through our finances a couple weeks ago and when I picked up this one dollar it just changed into a hundred dollar bill." Liz said with a grin as her friends continued to stare at the car.

"Baby bob is a friggin genius! Hey do you think the baby would want to do something nice for me and say give me some money to go and buy some new clothes cause that would be like so cool!" Maria said happily.

"This is wrong." Kyle said plainly.

"No, it isn't. I can't just sit around and watch bill after bill pile up while I do nothing to help. This can work for us!" Liz said.

"No, Liz, it can't. We're suppose to be trying to be normal. You going around and tossing out money like it's going out of style isn't helping us at all. We're trying here and all you can do is keep pulling us into this alien madness." Kyle said loudly to her.

"We aren't normal Kyle! We will never be normal, not again. I have powers, my baby has powers, and whoops! You will one day have powers too! You can't just run away from something that is a part of you!" Liz yelled at him.

"I didn't want to become part of this alien disaster! You did, you dragged yourself into this, you dragged Maria, my dad, me, and Alex. You dragged all of us into this without our permission! You might as well have killed Alex, because from where I'm standing you're the reason we're in this mess!" Kyle yelled at her.

Suddenly he was thrown back into the nearest wall. Liz looked down at her stomach which seemed to be giving off a faint glow from underneath her white turtleneck. Liz looked back up at Kyle with tears in her eyes. He stood up and shook himself off before walking towards the door. Liz tried to follow him but he held out his arm.

"I have to go pick up Candace." He said quietly before leaving the house.

Liz looked over at Maria's shocked expression and ran into her room before slamming the door. Maria jumped as the door banged loudly.

* * *

Kyle could barely breath. He was sitting here in this beautiful restaurant with the most attractive woman he had ever met. Wait, was he really thinking this? He hated Candace, she hated him. Their animosity towards each other was what kept them going at work and at the same time Kyle liked that. But tonight was different.

She was different. Her shoulder length brown hair was high atop her head with a few stray strands flowing down her face. Her black form fitting spaghetti strapped dress cut itself off right above her knees, and her black strappy shoes looked perfect with her outfit. On the ride to the restaurant neither one said a word, which was the least amount of talking he had ever heard her do.

He didn't know what to say to her, for the first time since he met her he didn't want to fire some insult at her. He barely registered anything until they had to order, and even then it was her who broke him out of his Candace filled trance.

"Nicky, what are you going to order?" She asked him.

"Umm…I really have no idea." Kyle told her honestly.

"Well, could you decide fast because the waiter's almost here." She said to him before rolling her eyes.

"What are you going to have?" He asked quickly.

"Chicken Marsala." She told him.

"I'll have the same thing." He told her proudly.

"May I take your orders?" The waiter said as he approached their table.

"Why of course." Kyle said pleasantly. He loved the look on Candace's face, she was totally baffled, maybe this night wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

"How was your meal?" The waiter asked as he took their plates away.

"It was delightful." Kyle said with a smile and Candace couldn't help but laugh.

They both shared conversation during the dinner and it was now Kyle's turn to start a conversation.

"So sports, who's your favorite team?" He asked her as he leaned over the table.

"Yankees." She said.

"Nice choice. Any specific reason for the pinstripes?" He asked her.

She blushed a little before answering. "Derek Jeter." She admitted. Kyle's mouth dropped as she began laughing.

"So that's what I have to compete with." He said but then they both stopped laughing.

"What did you say?" Candace asked him. He didn't just say what she thought he just said, did he?

"Umm…nothing. You want dessert?" He asked trying to change the subject.

"No…not really." She said. Silence once again filled their table.

"So, umm…you don't go to college do you?" He asked, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.

"No, it wasn't for me. I wanted to go to Penn State, but I think that now it was just because of Tim." She said slightly sad.

"I'm sorry, you know, for the breakup." He said as she looked down at the table, he was sure that he started to make her cry.

"I'm not." She said with a smile as she looked up at him.

* * *

Kyle parked the car in front of the house at exactly 11:58.

"See, I'm a good date, I get you home on time." He joked.

"Yeah, thanks for that. Nick, this has been really great." Candace started to say.

"Yeah, it was fun to hang around someone that wasn't Vanessa or Kathleen." He said, making them both laugh.

"Well it was fun hanging out with someone who wasn't my sister." She laughed and Kyle looked at her.

"What? Don't you have any friends or anything?" He asked, shocked that a social butterfly like Candace wouldn't have any friends.

"No, not really. I have some people that I hang out with every once in a while but that's about it. You're lucky though. I mean you have two good friends who would do anything for you." She smiled up at him.

"How do you know that?" He asked, the events of the night before he picked her up replayed in his mind.

"Because I'm not blind, you three are like family. That's something to be treasured, no matter how many fights you get in." He thought about her words as she smiled at him.

Kyle walked her to her door and froze. Should he kiss her? That was accustomed to the first date, right? He was so out of practice with this sort of thing. Lucky for him Candace knew what she was doing.

She leaned in to kiss him and soon Kyle felt himself become glued to her. He hadn't kissed a girl in God only knows how long. Candace was sure a good kisser. After a moment or two they broke apart and just smiled.

"I'll see ya, Nicky." She said and he smiled even wider.

"Yeah I guess so." He said before turning to walk down the sidewalk towards his car.

Was he on a roll or what.

**A/N:** Hope everyone liked this last part. I wrote most of it on Vaca so I had plenty of time to work out all the kinks, I hope. See ya'll soon. **R&R!!**


	13. What A Wonderful World

**__**

Part 13: What A Wonderful World

Liz could feel the air swirl around her and it hugged her body making the sudden coldness that she felt, much warmer. Her head was foggy and dark, she just wanted to find some light.

"Liz." A familiar voice called out to her and she spun around to be face to face with the person she most desperately wanted to see.

"Max." His name came from her lips like it was silk and it made her feel safe, just his mere presence did that to her.

I see trees of green, red roses too  
I see them bloom for me and you  
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

"Hello." He said smoothly.

"Is this a dream?" She asked with a smile.

"I think it is." He told her. Her smile instantly faded away.

"I was kind of hoping that it was real." She said with her head hanging low. "I wanted to tell you so much, but you really won't know will you?"

"No. You can still tell me though." He said to her.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white  
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night  
And I think to myself what a wonderful world

She took a deep breath before catapulting herself into his arms. He drew in a sharp breath due to her unexpected weight.

"I miss you." She cried into his shoulder. "I miss you so much…and I try not to, but I can't stop…I need you Max, and I will always need you, we'll always need you."

"You mean you, Kyle, and Maria." He said with certainty.

"No." She said plainly. She wanted to tell Max this, not some dream version of him.

"Then who?"

"Me, and… and your child." Liz told him after a moments hesitation.

Max just stood there for a while trying to take this new information in.

"Is that why you left?" He asked her.

"No." She said, more ashamed even though she didn't know why.

"Then why?" He asked her more eagerly this time.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky  
Are also on the faces of people going by  
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do  
They're really saying I love you.

"You were going to kill me." She said. When she looked up into his confused face she knew she had to tell him everything. "I had a vision the night before we left that you shot me. I was so scared that running away was the first thing that popped into my head. After we left you guys I realized what a mistake it was and now Maria and Kyle are paying for my bad choices. Plus I'm screwing up as a mom and this kid is not even born yet. I just wish you were here with me, really here with me, because I need you." Liz sobbed out to him and he held her tighter.

"I'll always be with you. I love you Liz, you will never be without me. I'm right here." He pointed to her head, "and here." He pointed to her heart. "and here." He then placed his hand on her stomach. "You see. I can't go that far."

"I love you Max." Liz whispered to him.

"I'll always love you." He told her before lowering himself to kiss her gently on the lips.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow  
They'll learn much more than I'll never know  
And I think to myself what a wonderful world  
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.

Liz reveled in the feel of Max again, oh how she missed him. It was like there was a hole in her heart that just wouldn't go away. She needed him like air, and this baby was all that she had of him left. Without warning Liz was pushed back into her room, out of her dream of Max. A couple stray tears rolled down her face and she lay in bed. Alone.

**_

* * *

_**

Elsewhere……

Max sat up straight in bed and was greeted by the sounds of Michael and Isabel fighting over what to watch on television.

"What's your problem? You look like you've seen a ghost." Michael observed.

"Liz is pregnant." He said clearly before passing out.

**_

* * *

_**

Meanwhile Back in Old Forge.

"Well, it's 12:05, where may I ask have you been young man?" A voice from the dark living room interrupted Kyle's tip-toeing back to his room.

"Hi mom." He said defeatedly. The bright lamp light was flicked on and he saw Maria sitting on the couch with a huge smile on her face.

"Did you have a good time?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah, but like I thought, she's not really my type so we're probably not gonna go out again. Just friends." He lied through his teeth, but he didn't want Maria going postal at twelve o'clock in the morning. "Where's Liz?"

"Sleeping I guess. She hasn't come out of her room since you left." Maria told him sadly. "What you said really hurt her Kyle. How could you even think of blaming Liz for Alex's death?!" Maria dug into him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said, I was just so angry at her. I don't want anything to happen to any of us and what if she got caught using that fake money? The government would have taken her away and done God knows what to her. _We_ can't protect her like Max, Michael, and Isabel could, we _are_ only human." Kyle explained to Maria, but her face stayed set in stone.

"You shouldn't be telling me all this. I'm not the one who got hurt." Maria said to him before going into the kitchen. "Oh and Kyle." She called out to him. "Red lipstick isn't really your color. Call me when you apologize."

Kyle nodded sullenly and then walked slowly to the door in the hallway that belonged to Liz. Kyle twisted the doorknob but failed to hear the click when he walked in.

"Knock knock." He said as he entered. He heard no response so he decided to go forward. "I'm waving my white flag, which you would see if the light wasn't off." Still no response. "Liz, I'm trying to apologize here and all you can seem to do is ignore me."

Finally he heard it. It sounded like sniffling.

"Liz, what's wrong?" He asked with concern written all over him as he knelt down next to her bed.

"I had a dream…" She started.

"Was it a vision?" He asked.

"No, it was a dream, about Max." She said before sobbing. Kyle quickly gathered her into his arms and held her tightly.

"Want to tell me about it?" He asked her gently.

"Not really. I just…I miss him so much…it's actually getting harder to breath." Liz admitted between sobs.

"I'm sorry Liz, about before. I just don't want anything to happen to you. You and Maria are all that I have now, whether we like it or not we're stuck with each other, forever. I didn't want to lose you." Kyle whispered soothingly.

"I know. I'm sorry too." Liz said as she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh." He whispered while he held onto her tightly. Liz clung to him in his arms.

He let her cry on his shoulder, they would be able to talk more tomorrow. Right now it was about healing, healing that she needed to do.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow  
They'll learn much more than I'll never know  
And I think to myself what a wonderful world  
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.

"Kyle." Her voice broke through the tears.

"What?" He asked gently.

"I locked that door."

* * *

Max looked out the motel window again, the rain was beating heavily down on the ground outside.

"Are you sure it wasn't just your imagination? I mean we all saw them on Christmas Eve and she didn't look pregnant." Isabel asked him again.

"I'm sure, it was something I felt. I know this is true. I know it wasn't just a dream." Max assured them, not looking away from the window.

"Well, what do we do now?" Michael asked.

"We find them…and my child." Max said before walking out of the room.

"How come every time he has a kid we have to go looking for it?" Michael asked Isabel sarcastically before she hit him in the arm. "What? Like you aren't thinking the same thing." He yelled after her as she went to bathroom.

_And I think to myself what a wonderful world  
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world._

_

* * *

_

_A/N: _I hope you all liked this last part. Oh and ParkerEvans the song that I used in the alternate ending of _Home_ was Sarah Maclachlin _I will remember you_. **R&R!!**


	14. Moving Day

**__**

Part 14: Moving Day

Liz waddled through the door that lead out to the backyard to find Kyle on a ladder that reached towards the top of the house.

"Did you find the leak yet?" Liz yelled up to him.

"Yes, now go inside before you catch influenza or something!" He yelled back down to her.

"I still think we should have got a roof guy to take a look at it." Liz mumbled.

"I can still hear you!" He yelled down to her.

Liz stuck her tongue out at him and then walked back into the house. Maria sat at the kitchen table with her sweatshirt pulled tightly around her.

"He still being stubborn." Maria said as more of a statement than a question.

"This male ego thing is really starting to bug me. I think just for that I am gonna break his hand in the delivery room." Liz said making Maria laugh.

"Ok, I'm gonna go pick Ariel up from school." Maria said as she started to stand up.

"Does Ariel know you are picking her up from school?" Liz asked suspiciously.

"No, if she did I don't think I would be doing it. Listen this is just a favor for Zira." Maria explained.

"I know." Liz asked.

"Just give the little runt some time. We'll break her eventually" Kyle said as he entered the room.

"Ok, your new power is really starting to bother me." Maria pointed her finger at him.

"I overheard you two talking, I didn't listen in." Kyle said to her.

"I'm going before you get any ideas." Maria said as she walked out of the room.

Liz laughed and then looked at Kyle.

"We are not calling a professional!" He cried out before going back outside.

* * *

Amanda walked into Liz, Maria, and Kyle's house to find a very aggravated Ariel sitting on the couch. Ariel looked up at her expectantly.

"Were you good for Kathy and Vanessa?" She asked her cousin.

"She was great. Didn't have to say two words to her at all." Liz said sarcastically.

"Kathleen." Maria scolded.

"What?" Liz acted innocent.

"I'll take her home now. Thanks again guys." Amanda smiled at them, before taking Ariel and leading her out of the house.

"What?" Liz asked when she realized that Maria was still looking at her.

Maria just shook her head and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Do you think she suspects anything?" Kyle asked Maria as they stood in one of the rooms with paintbrushes in their hands.

"Not a clue, plus wouldn't you know if she did?" Maria asked while raising her eyebrows.

"Ok, I just finished getting the stuff and hopefully it will all be finished in time." Candace said as she entered the room. "Oh wow, guys this looks amazing."

"Told you I was an artist." Kyle said as he affectionately wrapped his arm around Candace's waist and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah but, I thought you were more of a Picaso than a Davinci." Candace said teasingly.

"I like this girl." Maria said with a laugh before taking one of the boxes out of the bags.

"Nick, you're gonna have to put the crib together, it's kind of complicated." Candace told him as she bent down to help Maria.

"Why did you get it then?" He asked.

"Because it looked so cute. Come on, who can resist pastel colored duckie's?" Candace said sounding like a child.

"I can." Kyle said but then smiled. "Fine but that basement better be nice and comfy if I have to give up my room to the freaky looking ducks."

"Oh chill out Buddha boy." Maria said, letting Kyle's nickname slip.

"Why'd you just call him Buddha boy?" Candace asked clearly interested.

"Because…" Kyle started but found it hard to think of anything.

"When Nick was younger he was really fat, our cousin Melanie gave him the name." Maria explained. When Candace nodded and turned around she breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't know why, but Maria somehow thought that Kyle's nickname would be linked back to him. She had definitely been watching too much Alias.

They continued putting the nursery together until it was about six o'clock when they heard the back door open, signaling the arrival of Zira, Jimmy, Debbie, Jim, Anne, and Ariel. They all set up the food and at seven o'clock Amanda arrived back at the house with Liz in tow.

"I still don't see why you wouldn't say yes. He seemed like a perfectly normal guy to me." Liz said to Amanda.

"Don't get me wrong Kathleen, but Brett just isn't my type." Amanda said. She knew about the surprise baby shower and used Liz's false name, she just hoped that Liz didn't catch it.

Before Liz could respond the lights flicked on and everyone jumped up.

"Surprise!" They all shouted.

"What's this?!" Liz asked in excitement.

"Happy Baby Shower day." Maria said as she ran over to hug Liz. Liz was now in full fledge tear mode.

"Hey." Kyle said as he walked up to her.

"You guys." Liz said while playfully hitting Kyle and then hugging Maria.

"Ok, enough crying, let's open some presents. Open mine first." Amanda said while leading Liz to the couch.

Liz tore the pink wrapping paper, but underneath there was another layer of wrapping paper, blue.

"Seeing as how you guys don't know if the baby's a girl or boy I thought it safe to go with both." Amanda told them.

Liz tore that paper off too and finally got to the present. It was a large snow globe that had a place for a picture inside. Liz looked at it again and saw that the picture was the baby's first ultrasound picture.

"It's perfect, thank you." Liz said with tears in her eyes.

"You're welcome." Amanda said hugging Liz.

Liz then wiped the tears from her eyes and proceeded to open the presents. She paused when she got to the one from Ariel. It was wrapped in teddy bear wrapping paper and it felt soft to the touch. Liz tore through the wrapping paper and finally saw what was so cushy inside. It was a teddy bear.

"Thank you Ariel." Liz said to her honestly.

"Well, I noticed that there wasn't any toys for that kid so I figured I should get one for it." Ariel said. "It doesn't matter."

"Yeah it does. Thank you." Liz said to her. For the first time since they met Ariel smiled at Liz.

"Ok, now on to our gift." Kyle said triumphantly.

"I feel like there should be a drum roll or something." Maria said.

Kyle and Maria helped the large Liz up from her spot on the couch and led her to Kyle's room. The door was closed and they insisted that Liz cover her eyes.

"Ok, you can open them…now." Kyle told her as they finally entered.

Liz opened her eyes to find a blue room with white clouds sponge painted onto the walls. This was definitely not Kyle's room. There was a white crib in one corner, it held little onesies, socks, hats, and a large blanket. In another corner there was a white changing table that had a dresser right next to it. Liz covered her mouth as she cried.

"You guys…you…" Liz tried to get out but she was crying too much.

"Those are happy tears right?" Kyle asked.

"They're very happy tears." Liz said as she hugged them.

"That's not all." Maria said as she pulled away.

She walked over to the crib where she pulled out a t-shirt, a rather large t-shirt.

"Now I know you are going to hate us for this shirt but in all fairness, it was Kyle's idea." Maria said as she handed it to her. The shirt read 'Large and In Charge'. Liz couldn't help but laugh.

"It's perfect." She told them.

"Really?" Kyle asked, afraid of getting yelled at.

"Yeah, this whole thing is perfect." She told them as she hugged them.

At that moment the baby kicked and made that day all the more better.

* * *

"You moron!" Isabel yelled at Max.

Just the other day Max tried to find Liz again but somehow let Kivar know where they were in the process. Ever since that night that Liz contacted him he had been on a search for her, now it was just getting them in trouble.

"I'm sorry. How was I suppose to know that Kivar would sense my powers?!" Max yelled back.

"Umm, it's a little thing called common sense, you should try it sometime." Michael said as they all looked out the window.

Kivar had found them at their latest stop when Max had tried to contact Liz through her dreams but every time he came up blocked.

"Seeing as how we are now stranded in the beautiful Seattle, why don't you tell us if you had any luck with Liz?" Isabel said as she went to sit on the bed.

"None." Max said defeatedly.

"Great, so you got us basically kicked out of St. Louis and you didn't even get to contact her, just perfect." Michael said as he leaned up against the bathroom door.

Max just sighed and put his face in his hands. He needed to see Liz and somehow every time that he tried to contact her she seemed further away. He wanted to be with her, to tell her it was going to be all right. He wanted to be the one in the delivery room who she was yelling and cursing at, he wanted to be the one who's hand she broke. He wanted to be the one to cut the cord, to kiss her forehead after their baby was born, to bring them both home and be their own private paparazzi with pictures and home movies. He wanted to be there to protect her, because if he wasn't, he might never see her again.

* * *

Kyle opened the basement door and started to walk down the steps slowly. Sure he had set up his room before the party started, but it was still weird to walk downstairs to go to his room. Suddenly Liz appeared at his left and took his hand.

"We'll be right upstairs if you need us." She told him comfortingly.

"I know, it's just…I'm gonna miss you guys." He said sniffling.

"Oh for crying out loud, you're not moving to Siberia stop CRYING!" Maria yelled from the kitchen making them all laugh.

"Ok, see you two in the morning." Kyle said as he walked down the steps.

"Ready to go to sleep in your new room?" Maria asked Liz from the doorway.

The two girls turned off all the lights in the house and locked all the doors. As Liz was locking the front door she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She placed her hand over the lock of the door and used her powers to make sure that there was an extra strong hold. She then carefully made her way to her new room in the dark. The nursery came fully equipped with Liz's bed in the corner with the window in it. She snuggled under the covers and let herself sleep. _Things were changing_, Liz thought as she placed her hand over her stomach, _and soon they'd be changing again._

**A/N**: I hope you all liked this part. The next part will be titled Amazing Grace and someone will die. **R&R!!**


	15. Amazing Grace

**__**

Part 15: Amazing Grace

Liz sat on the couch reading the newest issue of 'Parenting' and eating Doritos and chocolate covered cherries.

"How come you get to sit around all day and I have to go to school?" Amanda asked from the doorway as she walked into the house.

"Because I'm pregnant…don't even think about it." Liz said to her young friend.

"You don't have to worry." Amanda said as she sat down on the couch next to Liz.

The two sat in silence while Liz read her magazine and Amanda did her Psychology homework. Neither one heard Kyle and Maria come into the house until they spoke.

"Don't you have a home?" Maria asked Amanda.

"Yeah, I just like yours better." Amanda smiled at her and Maria laughed before she went into the kitchen. "Oh hey slick." Amanda said to Kyle who was sitting on the chair opening mail. "You left this at my house." She said while taking one of Kyle's button down shirts out of her book bag and tossing it to him.

"Yeah, umm, thanks." He said with red cheeks as Liz laughed behind her magazine.

The relationship between Candace and Kyle was undeniable, they were constantly together. Even so, they all enjoyed making them squirm. Liz looked over at the smirking Amanda and put her hand up in a high five invitation. Amanda automatically slapped her hand to Liz's but Liz was then pulled into the first vision she had since she left Max, Michael, and Isabel.

_It was dark, and cold. The road was slippery and there was black ice all over. Next she was in a car, it was a green minivan, Amanda was sitting in the passenger seat laughing. There were three other people in the van and they were all singing and laughing. Next, she was back on the road where the ice was. The van seemed to go into slow motion as it hit the ice and skidded towards the guardrail, and then going over the steep cliff. All Liz heard was screams, squealing breaks, and then silence. Next she was at the bottom of the cliff next to the upside down van. Amanda was dead._

"Oh my God." Liz said as she took in a breath.

"What's wrong, is it the baby?" Kyle asked anxiously.

Liz didn't know what to say, she couldn't just say, oh I just saw Amanda die.

"Yeah." Liz said simply. "Just uhh, very active."

Liz got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen where Maria was making a cup of tea. Liz sunk down into one of the kitchen chairs and started to cry. The image of Amanda hanging upside down with blood trailing down her face was just too real for her to take.

"Liz, what's wrong?"

"I had a vision." Liz whispered through her tears to Maria.

"What happened?" Maria asked.

"Amanda…she died." Liz said before crying again.

Maria put her hand over her mouth and gasped. Liz's first vision in months was to save the one person who helped them feel like they were wanted.

"How?" Maria got out.

"Car accident." Liz said, somehow it didn't seem right, they had already lost one friend they were not losing another.

* * *

"So Amanda, what are you up to tonight?" Maria asked her friend.

"A little this, a little that, you know how it is." Amanda said.

"So in other words nothing." Kyle clarified.

"Exactly. Why? You three up to some group Lamaze or something?" Amanda joked.

"You wanna hang out and do something, like a movie?" Liz asked.

"Sure." Amanda nodded. "That's sounds cool."

* * *

"You guys, you can't keep me locked up here in your house forever. I do have to go home." Amanda whined from the couch.

To try and keep her there they had watched two movies, ordered pizza, played the 'game of life', and did everything under the sun. It was now 11:00 and Amanda was ready to go home.

"Why don't you just stay a little longer." Maria said more as a statement than a question.

"Guys…"

"This just in. There was an accident on Cockston Road in Ransom township tonight at 10:30 p.m. A group of teenagers were out for a ride when the car skidded on a patch of black ice. The car flipped over onto snake hill. Three of the four in the car are in critical condition while the person in the passenger seat has been reported dead. As we get more updates we will fill you in…" The TV seemed to roar over them.

Liz looked at Kyle and then at Maria. Amanda would have been the one dead. Somehow this didn't make sense, that accident shouldn't have happened, Amanda wasn't there.

"Can I go now?" Amanda whined from the couch.

"Uhh, yeah." Maria said absently.

"O.k." Amanda said before walking out of the house.

Once she was out Liz stood up faster than she thought she could.

"That accident shouldn't have happened." She announced. "Isn't that how it works?"

"I guess maybe it was suppose to happen, just Amanda shouldn't have been in it." Kyle told them.

"Liz, we don't even know why they were in the car to begin with, maybe there are just some things that we can't stop, but we saved Amanda's life." Maria told her friend.

"Yeah, but her friends were in that car. One of her friends was just killed. God, when she finds out that we knew, and we didn't help them, she's going to hate us." Liz said while running a hand through her hair.

"At least she has the chance to hate us." Kyle said before standing up to hug Liz.

* * *

Amanda threw her purse down on her bed. Finally she was home. She loved Liz, Maria, and Kyle but man were they annoying sometimes. She reached over to where her cell phone fell out of her purse, when she threw it, and picked it up. Amanda looked at the screen and saw that she had one new message. She dialed the number and listened to the message.

"Hey Amanda, it's Dee, listen Kerry, John, and I were all going to grab something to eat and maybe go to Lou's after. We wanted to know if you would want to come with, call me back when you get this, kay? See ya tomorrow." Then the message was over.

Amanda let out an exasperated sigh and walked into the living room where her parents were sitting on the couch. Her father had his arm around her mother and they both looked sad.

"How are we going to tell her, she'll be devastated." Her mother said.

"Tell who what?" Amanda asked from the doorway.

"Honey!" Her mother whipped her head around.

"Tell who what?" Amanda asked again.

"Amanda, sweetie, we need you to sit down."

* * *

It was a rainy day in Old Forge as there was a memorial service for one young teen. The whole school was saddened and the depression hung rich in the atmosphere. Diana Bilbao was only 17 and her life was cut short. Liz felt the guilt of her death weigh heavily on her shoulders. Everyone knew that Amanda was close to the girl, hell they were practically sisters, and that she would be taking this hard.

"Is she home?" Liz asked Amanda's mother.

"Yeah, she's in her room. She's not doing too good." Debbie told her.

"Can I talk to her?" Liz asked her.

"You can try, she won't talk to anyone." Debbie said before leading Liz to Amanda's room and letting her in.

The room seemed cold, like Amanda turned off the heat or something. Amanda sat behind her bed with her feet drawn up to her chest and she looked like she was looking at something.

"Hey." Silence. "Looking at…pictures I see." Liz said while sitting on the bed. Amanda didn't answer, she just sat there. "Ok, listen. I know what you're going through and…"

"You know what I'm going through, ha what a load of crap. You have no idea what I'm going through." Amanda said dryly, not looking up at Liz.

"My best friend died in a car accident too." She said solemnly.

"I thought your best friend was killed." She said.

"Isn't it the same thing." Liz pointed out.

Amanda didn't say anything.

"I know what you're feeling, I felt it too. No matter how hard you try you can't bring that person back. I tried uselessly to bring Alex back every day and all I got was nothing."

"I wish I could."

"So do I. You just have to move on, and live. This person, your friend, will never get that chance. You should live for them, live as though they were right next to you." Liz said to her.

"How do I do that?" Amanda asked defeatedly.

Liz didn't really have an answer for that, she just sighed and looked down at Amanda's bed. On it was the days newspaper and the front page which read 'Four Teens In Tragic Collision'. The picture was of snake road, and the first thing Liz realized was that something was wrong.

"That's not how it looked." Liz said, forgetting she was even in Amanda's room.

"What?" Amanda asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing." She lied but Amanda caught her.

"No, that's not how what looked?" Amanda asked.

Liz knew that she was going to have to tell her someday, why not now?

"I get visions…visions of the future." Amanda nodded her head. "The night of the accident, I got a vision."

"And you didn't tell me!"

"Amanda, the vision was of a car accident but your friend Dee wasn't the one who died." Liz told her.

"Then who was?"

"You were. We didn't think it was possible for their to even be an accident seeing as how you weren't there. But in this picture it's different. This isn't where the accident in my vision took place. That means that the accident was suppose to happen." Liz saw Amanda shaking her head. "It means that you weren't suppose to die and…"

"And what? Dee was?" Liz just lowered her head. "I can't believe you! You come into my house and tell me that you could've saved my friend but you didn't. Ever since I met you I have been thrown into one disaster after another!" Liz was about to interrupt but Amanda didn't get her the chance. "Get the hell out of my house, and don't think about coming back."

"Amanda…"

"OUT!" Amanda screamed.

Liz complied reluctantly, she didn't want to leave her like this. As she was walking out of the room she heard Amanda say one more thing.

"And stay the hell away from my family." She warned before Liz closed the door behind her.

* * *

_Amazing Grace   
How sweet the sound   
That saved a wretch like me   
I once was lost   
But now I'm found   
Was blind but now I see_

Liz sat on the floor of her room with pictures from the newspaper, there had to be something that she missed. How could she have been so wrong?

_'Twas grace that taught   
My heart to fear   
And grace that feared relieved   
How precious did   
That grace appear   
The hour I first believed_

Kyle carefully entered her room and sat next to her.

"You couldn't have known, none of us could." He told her soothingly.

"I should have." Liz said while looking at him with sad eyes. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry on his shoulder.

_Through many dangers   
Toils and snares   
I have already come   
'Twas grace that brought me   
Safely thus far   
And grace will lead me home_

Amanda placed a single white rose on Diana's coffin and stepped back as they began to lower it into the ground. She felt the tears course down her cheeks but she could not understand where they were coming from until she remembered. Her best friend was dead.

_And when this heart   
And flesh shall fail   
And mortal life shall cease   
I shall possess   
Within the vale   
A life of joy and peace_

One thing was for sure. She would never forgive Liz for this. She may have been her friend, but Dee was her best friend. Amanda felt an unusual weight on her legs and looked down to see Dee's little sister, Lil, with tears in her eyes also. Amanda picked the little girl up and let her cry on her shoulder. No, she would never forgive.

* * *

A/N:** R&R!!**


	16. Valentine's Day

**__**

Part 16: Valentine's Day

Candace sat with Liz and Maria at their kitchen table. They were trying to pick out baby names and Candace decided to help.

"Here's one, Cameron." Candace supplied from her book.

"No, too girlish." Liz said. They were working on boys names seeing as how they finished the girls names.

"Ok, how bout Samuel?" Maria suggested.

"No, too old fashioned." Liz shot it down.

"William?" Candace asked.

"Too proper."

"Zeeke!" Maria cried out.

"Too…weird." Liz stated before looking back down at the book.

Maria started chewing on her pencil as Candace stood up and walked into the living room where Kyle was watching TV.

"Hey you." He said as she sat on the arm of the couch.

"Hey."

"Having fun?" He asked.

"Loads." Candace answered dryly.

Kyle continued watching TV till he heard her sigh.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." Candace said before going to grab her purse.

She picked it up and then just walked out of the door.

"Did Candace leave?" Maria stuck her head into the living room.

"Yeah." Kyle said, not taking his eyes away from the TV.

"You could have been nicer to her." Liz said as she waddled into the room.

Kyle just ignored them and continued watching TV. Maria jumped onto the couch and punched his arm.

"Did you forget today was Valentine's day?" She asked him.

"No. I have everything all setup." He said before returning his attention to the TV.

"Well, great job, I'm sure she'll most definitely want to go out tonight now that you're acting like a real jerk." Liz said to him.

"Guys, just lay off. I know what I'm doing." He said before getting up and going to the basement.

"Somebody's grumpy." Maria says in a sing song voice before going to her room.

* * *

Kyle knocked on the Williams' front door in hopes that Candace answered, not Amanda. Amanda wouldn't talk to them, which was normal, he wouldn't talk to Max for a while after Alex's death. He knew what Amanda was feeling right now and he wanted to be there for her, to be her friend, but she wouldn't let any of them in. Kyle knocked one more time before turning away.

"What?" Candace snapped as he stepped off the porch.

"Hey, I wanted to show you something." He said, he was dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt, and his brown coat that was not zipped.

"Listen Nick. I wanted to do something special for Valentine's day and you just want to go hiking or whatever." Candace said.

"Who said anything about hiking?" He asked, confused.

"Just look at the way you're dressed." He looked down at his outfit.

"Ok, just come with me, please." He asked holding out his hand.

She reluctantly took it and he led her to his car.

* * *

Maria sat on the couch reading one of Liz's parenting magazines. Liz seemed to be glowing lately, not literally, but still with everything that was going on she was happy. Maybe it was because even though she was miles and miles away from the person she loved she still had a piece of him with her. All Maria had of Michael was nothing.

Hesitantly she picked up the phone and dialed the number that was seared onto her brain. When the person picked up she answered.

"Hey, can we meet?" Was all she said.

* * *

Liz looked down at the baby book one last time before yawning and stretching out. She closed her eyes and let herself sleep on the kitchen table.

In her dream Liz was in the nursery holding her baby. It was beautiful, so beautiful. The blanket around it was white, it looked like it was old. The baby just smiled up at Liz and she smiled back. Her baby. All of a sudden Liz felt very cold.

She was now in the Crashdown, Max was holding a gun. BANG! She felt all the pain all over again, it felt like it was going to tear her apart.

Liz shot up and looked around. Now she remembered, she wasn't near Max. She was in Old Forge, she was safe. For now.

* * *

Kyle took Candace's hand as he led her up the steep hill. Candace was panting heavily and he knew that she didn't do this often.

"Are we there yet?" She asked him annoyed.

"Almost. Just a couple more minutes." He told her. She sighed and he then spun around and picked her up.

"Nick, what are you doing?! Put me down! Put me down!?" She cried out.

"I thought you didn't like walking." He said jokingly.

"I don't, but I had to put up some sort of fuss didn't I." She told him with a smile.

Soon they reached their destination and Candace gasped at what she saw.

"I thought it would be romantic." Kyle said with a smile as he put her down.

There on the ground was a blanket, a picnic basket, a bottle of soda in ice, a radio, and a couple roses. It was absolutely lovely. Not to mention that the stars were shining down at them in perfect clarity.

"It's perfect." She said while turning around to kiss him.

"I was hoping you would say that." He told her as they began to sit down.

* * *

Maria sat at the fancy restaurant on the Main street in Old Forge. Anthony's was very sophisticated and proper. It was also packed due to last minute reservations for Valentine's day, luckily she called earlier in the day and got herself and her date this fine table.

Now she sat alone in her red halter dress with strappy red shoes just waiting for her date.

"You look beautiful." Someone whispered in her ear. She smiled at the comment knowing who it was.

"Thank you." She said back as her date rounded her chair and sat across from her. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Russell was dressed in a black silk-like shirt with black pants.

"Oh this old thing, I just had it lying around waiting for the right occasion." He said as he took a sip of his already poured water.

Maria smiled at him, he did make her smile.

"So, what's good here?" He asked her.

"I was gonna go with the angel hair spaghetti." Maria told him with a smile.

He looked his menu over one last time before ordering. They sat in silence for a couple minutes before he began to talk.

"Vanessa…I don't know why you called me, but I'm glad you did." He smiled at her.

"Russell, there's something really important that I need to tell you. It's kind of the reason I broke up with you." Maria said slowly.

"I really don't care about that anymore, I understand now that you weren't ready for a serious relationship and I was pushing you into it…" Before he could say anymore Maria cut him off.

"I was ready for a serious relationship." Russell just stared at her. "When I was in high school I was in this really serious relationship and I loved him. Man did I love him." Maria said wistfully. "In fact, I still love him, even though I try not too, he's in my heart. I'm sorry that I led you to believe that I was ready to date again when I really wasn't. Michael and I just had…have such an intense history together that it's hard to let go of."

"I understand." Russell said as he reached over the table and took her hand in his. "We don't have to be anything that you don't want us to be."

"Thank you, but I'm not ready to be anything more than friends with a guy. I just can't handle the heartbreak that comes along with it."

Russell nodded his head and rubbed small circles on her hand with his thumb as they just sat in silence. Neither one noticing the figure nearby listening in.

**R&R!!**


	17. Babysitting

**__**

Part 17: Babysitting

Zira walked over to Kyle, Maria, and Liz's house with Ariel in tow. She had to go to a very important appointment and she couldn't take Ariel with her. Even though everyone in the Williams family knew how much Ariel didn't like the three newcomers they were their last chance.

"Hey Zira, what's up?" Kyle asked as he opened the door.

"Could you three mind watching Ariel for me, it would only be for a little while?" Zira asked pleadingly.

"Sure, come on in runt." Kyle said while opening the screen door to let her in. Ariel just walked in in silence.

"I'll be back around noon, bye sweetie." Zira waved good bye to her youngest grandchild before walking back to her car.

"So, kid, what's happening?" Kyle asked her.

Ariel rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"You know what? Give me one minute to go and get something and then you can talk all you want." Kyle said sarcastically. "Kid's definitely not like my girlfriend, motor mouth must have skipped some generations."

Kyle went to the basement where there was one photo album he was looking at earlier. Liz was sleeping and Maria was 'cleansing' as she called it. Basically it consisted of cedar oil's, a recording of someone telling you how to breath, and a lot of self reflection. Kyle picked up the book and two others before walking up the steps to go to the living room where Ariel still sat.

"You want to look at some pictures?" He asked. "Vanessa and Kathleen made them before we left home. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you looking at them."

Ariel just sat in silence.

"What have we ever done to you?!" Kyle snapped at her. The silence was killing him.

"Nicholas!" Liz hissed from the hallway. Kyle's face immediately turned beat red and he could've sworn that he saw Ariel giggle.

"Hi Kathleen." He said ashamed.

"Ariel, he isn't bothering you is he?" Liz asked the nine year old. Ariel shook her head before cautiously opening up one of the photo albums.

Liz saw what album it was and immediately went to sit next to her.

"Would you like to know where this was from?" Ariel nodded her head. "This was at my wedding." Liz said wistfully.

"You're married?" Ariel asked.

"Yep." Liz said showing the girl her ring. "We had to separate for a while." Liz said, swallowing the huge lump in her throat, as if that would explain it all.

"That's Isabel, Michael, and Max…oh yeah and that's Vanessa." Kyle said pointing to each one.

"Her hair's different now." Ariel observed of Maria.

"Yeah she belongs to the hair color of the month club." Kyle said but received a slap across the back of his head.

"I heard that you dummy." Maria said as she sat on the floor below them.

"Your dress was pretty." Ariel said to Liz.

"Thank you. I always loved this picture." Liz said as she looked at the picture of herself and Max.

"Is he your baby's daddy?" Ariel asked cautiously.

"Yeah, he is." Liz said while wiping a tear out of her eyes.

"Do you miss him?" Ariel asked in her little nine year old voice.

"More than you'll ever know."

Maria noticed how distressed this was making Liz and quickly changed the subject.

"What about your dad?" She asked Ariel.

"He's gone." She said simply before turning to the next page.

"Where'd he go?" Kyle asked.

"I don't know, I never met him." She said. "Don't you guys miss your dads?" Ariel asked, clearly changing the subject.

"I don't have one either." Maria told her.

"I miss my dad every day." Kyle said.

"Don't you guys call them?" Ariel asked them.

"It's not that simple." Liz said, not fully understanding why it wasn't.

"If I could, I would call my dad everyday." Ariel stated before flipping the page to see a boy she had never seen before. "Who's this?"

"That's Alex. He was our best friend." Kyle told Ariel.

"Why isn't he your best friend now?" She asked.

"He died in a car accident." Maria said wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Just like Mandy's friend." Ariel said quietly. "I wish Mandy would talk to someone, she's so sad all the time."

"Well, she lost someone really important to her sweetheart. She's gonna need some time to get over that. You just have to be there for her." Liz told her.

"What about you guys. Aren't you all her friends? She misses you." Ariel told them.

"Things just aren't that simple Ariel." Maria told her. "Come on, enough of this depressing stuff, let's go do something fun."

Ariel smiled and jumped off the couch to follow Maria. Kyle sat with Liz on the couch. Liz was crying and Kyle eased himself over to hug her.

"It's our fault…" Liz cried before her sobs were muffled in Kyle's shoulder.

"Shh, it'll be ok. I promise you it will get better." He whispered into her hair as he held her.

* * *

Amanda knocked on Liz, Maria, and Kyle's door, she was here to pick up Ariel and nothing more. Her grandmother had gotten home two hours ago but she let Ariel stay over there when she pleaded with her.

"Hey…" Liz said as she answered the door.

"I'm not here for some weepy eyed apology or forgiveness of any kind. I'm simply here to pick up Ariel." Amanda stated as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Fine." Liz said simply and opened the door for her to come in.

"Ready or not here I come." Amanda heard Kyle say as he sprinted out from behind the couch in search of his prey.

"Nicky, stop it." Liz yelled to him. "Ariel, your cousin's here to get you!" Liz yelled for her.

Ariel slowly came out from the kitchen and saw Amanda.

"Can I come back later?" Ariel asked hopefully.

"If it's ok with your mom and grandma." Liz told her.

"Ready runt?" Amanda asked the little girl.

"Not yet. Wanna see something?" Ariel asked hopefully.

"Sure, why not." Amanda said less than enthused.

Ariel took her older cousin's hand and led her to the kitchen where there was three photo albums and a year book or two scattered on the table.

"You wanted to show me a mess? Ok, I'm not even gonna ask." Amanda said before Ariel pulled her closer to the table.

"No, look it." Ariel said as she pointed to the picture of Alex, Maria, and Liz when they were in their freshman year.

Amanda stared at the picture for what seemed like hours but was in fact, only minutes. She turned and looked at the teary eyed Liz and Kyle before wiping her own tears away. She knew who this was, this was their friend who had died, just like hers. Amanda walked towards the front door with Ariel in tow.

"Come on, grandma wants you back over for supper." Amanda said all the while not looking at anyone.

"All right." Ariel said while dragging her feet out the door.

Once she was out Amanda turned to face the two.

"I guess I'll see you later." She said with a half smile.

"Guess so." Kyle said as she walked out the door.

Liz looked up at him and just smiled.

"I think the same thing too." He told her as they walked into the kitchen to cleanup their pictures.


	18. When It Rains, It Pours

**__**

Part 18: When it rains It pours

Liz was lying in her bed listening to the rain pound down furiously onto the house. Figured with all the snow they were getting that it would rain and melt it all. It wasn't even a fun rain storm, it was ice cold, but it was too 'warm' to be snow. Liz heard something that sounded like singing come from the basement. It was two o'clock in the morning, Kyle should be fast asleep, he had work the next day.

Liz got up from her bed slowly to go check it out. As she entered the dark hallway she bumped into something, or rather someone. Maria jumped and gave a short scream before she realized it was Liz.

"Liz?" Liz nodded. "Good, what was that?" Maria asked, indicating the noise.

"I don't know. Let's go check it out." Liz said while taking Maria's hand.

The two walked through the living room and through the kitchen till they finally got to the basement door. Liz pulled on the knob slowly and opened the door only to find a flood in the basement.

"Oh my…" Maria trailed off.

"Kyle?" Liz asked as they walked down the steps.

"Yo ho and a bottle of rum." Kyle said as he floated by on his air mattress.

"What in the world happened down here?" Maria asked as the two girls tried to stop laughing. This whole situation was hilarious.

"I don't know. I woke up and I was drowning. Lucky for me I don't weight that much. This puppy's been keeping me afloat for two hours now." Kyle said as he lay flat on the mattress.

"Um, really stupid question but why didn't you just come upstairs?" Maria asked.

"I kept missing the steps. You see I keep floating around in a circle but I always miss the steps." Kyle explained.

"Then why don't you just hop off that mattress and walk over here?" Liz asked.

"Because do you know where this water's been?" Kyle asked.

"A cloud?" Maria said.

"No, the sewers. This is extremely gross." Kyle said as he tried to steer his mattress.

"OK, I'm gonna go call Jim and Zira. See if they know what to do, and Kyle…just…I don't know, try to reclaim land." Maria said as she turned to run up the steps.

"Aye, aye matie." Kyle said in a pirates voice and he turned to look at Liz. "Go upstairs and try to get some sleep. We'll have this cleaned up in no time."

"Kyle…"  
  
"No, Liz, we have enough water down here, we do not need you adding any more." Kyle said as he pointed to the door. "Go."

"My water will not break if I just bend over to grab this…oh no." Liz said as she clutched her stomach.

"'Oh no'? What's 'oh no'?" Kyle asked frantically.

"Nothing I just think I might have had a contraction." Liz said as if it were nothing.

"Did I just hear the 'C' word?!" Maria said while craning her neck to look into the basement.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Liz said.

"Still, we're not taking any chances." Kyle said as he jumped onto the steps and led Liz up them.

"Wait!" Maria ordered once they reached the top.

"What?" Kyle asked annoyed.

"I'm gonna be an aunt!" Maria said excitedly.

Kyle just shook his head and led Liz to the car.

* * *

"So Miss. Evans? It seems that you are just having Braxton Hicks." The elderly doctor told the three of them.

"We are in no way naming this kid 'Braxton Hicks'." Maria said to him.

"He meant the contractions." Kyle informed her. "That means that they're fake."

"Oh, right. I knew that." Maria said before taking Liz's hand.

"You can get changed and leave now." The doctor told them.

"Wait. Isn't it true that when you start having false labor you are close to going into real labor?" Kyle asked.

"Yes. But Kathleen is in her last two months, so it is normal."

"Ok." Kyle breathed out. At least his hand wasn't being broken.

* * *

After the false labor scare Liz was on constant watch from both Kyle and Maria. As soon as they told Zira, she never left the house. Zira was constantly over with food and to keep a watchful eye on Liz. It was like their second grandmother.

One day while Liz was on temporary house arrest relief, she and Maria went shopping. It had been days since she was to the mall and the outside air, even being as cold as it was, was refreshing. Liz had bought several things that she hadn't even known that she would want. One in particular was a bouncy chair that was covered in blue elephants. They even bought several outfits on Liz's assumption that the baby would be a boy. When they got home they arrive to an empty house. They threw their bags onto the couch before entering the kitchen to get something to eat, all the while talking and laughing.

"I wonder where Kyle is?" Maria blurted out through her laughs.

"Probably with Candace. They're like inseparable." Liz said, laughing also.

Maria just shook her head as she laughed and picked up a piece of paper from the table and read it aloud.

"Went to a fire on Grace street, be back soon. Love K." Maria read and gave it to Liz.

When Liz touched it she instantly saw the flames Kyle was in. He was walking on the top floor of a two story house and floorboards weren't too sturdy. The fire had weakened them to a point where even a pin would make them fall through. Well Kyle wasn't a pin and he was walking right towards that section. Liz tried to cry out to him to go back but he didn't hear her and kept walking. With each step Liz just wanted to snap out of it but she couldn't. Kyle walked straight into the patch of floor that was weak and without warning the floor collapsed, taking Kyle with it. It wasn't what Liz expected, usually when you see someone fall through a whole in the floor it's a cartoon and they stay up for a minute before falling, but this was nothing like that.

Liz opened her eyes to look at Maria who knew Liz saw something, but what? Liz took a deep breath like she had been underwater for a long time. In her mind the answer to saving Kyle was screaming at her, but she wasn't sure if she could do it. She hadn't really used her powers on her own since they separated from the group and now that she needed them, she didn't know if they would be there.

"What'd you see?" Maria asked as she got her some water.

"Kyle…the fire he's at…he's gonna fall through the floor." Liz said in short gulps as she drank down the water.

"No…Kyle he can't die…we need him, he's our rock." Maria said as she started to cry.

"He won't die, we just have to get him out of this first." Liz said confidently.

"What are we gonna do?" Maria asked skeptically.

"Remember when Max went to New York and Isabel helped me appear right in front of him?" Liz asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna do the same thing to Kyle, I just hope it will work." Liz said as she closed her eyes and concentrated only on Kyle.

Maria sat across from her at the table and prayed a silent prayer that this would work, it just had to work.

* * *

Liz was in the fire again, it was hotter than she remembered. Much hotter. There was Kyle, he was all decked out in his gear and wasn't recognizable except for the name on the back of his coat which said Stevens. Liz waved her hands around and called out for him. Suddenly his voice was in her head.

"Liz?" He asked.

"Kyle?" Liz said confused. How did he get in her head?

Kyle turned around slowly and saw Liz standing in the middle of the fire. She was perfectly fine but he wasn't. His nerves were shot being in this fire and seeing Liz in it was too much for him to take.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her through her mind.

"I projected myself. Listen, I had a vision, you have to get out of here. You're gonna die." Liz screamed to him.

Kyle's eyes immediately went to where Liz was standing. The floor looked weak, he had taken classes of what to look for. He nodded to her and went the other way. Liz felt herself being pulled back to the house. With a deep breath she was home.

"Did you warn him?" Maria pounced on her.

"Yeah, I think so." Liz told her.

Maria put her hand over Liz's, which was on her stomach, and they both prayed a silent prayer that things worked out.

Two hours later the two girls sat on the couch watching the eleven o'clock news on channel six, waiting for some sort of sign from Kyle. He'd been gone too long and he wouldn't just not call them when he got back to the station. Maria got up from the couch to go get some water when they saw the Top Story heading. 'Fireman Saves little girl'.

Maria stopped and sat on the arm of the chair as the news reporter told how one fireman saw the mayor's daughter hiding under a bed and brought her out to safety. The news station showed pictures of the inferno and then a picture of Kyle.

"Oh God, Liz." Maria said with a sigh.

Liz knew exactly how she felt, if the wrong people saw that picture they would all be in trouble.

"He…he did a good thing…we just have to be happy…you know, at least he's not dead." Liz stumbled out.

Maria looked over to see Liz nervously rubbing her stomach. She took Liz's nervous hand and held it.

"We're gonna be ok. We don't know who saw that, it's late." Maria said reassuringly.

"Right, we're gonna be just fine." Liz agreed shakily.

Now if only they could believe that.

**R&R!!**


	19. Kyle the Hero

**_

* * *

Part 19: Kyle the Hero_**

Max sat in the passenger seat of the van while Michael drove them to their newest location. Isabel was sleeping in the back seat and Max was wide awake. He kept thinking of Liz and his child. Their child. He kept wondering if she was scared or if she was doing just fine. Michael and Isabel constantly arguing with him that it was all just a dream, that there really was no baby, was just about to break him. But he knew that Liz was pregnant, he just knew. He felt it with every fiber of his being.

When the three of them crossed the state line into California Isabel began to dream. It was odd, things were coming in clips, distorted. Things were dark, lonely, sad. People were crying, there was so much pain. All of a sudden Isabel saw Liz, Maria, and Kyle and a voice sounded off from out of Isabel's reach, it was a child's voice.

"Help me."

Was all the voice said before Isabel was thrown out of the dream and placed back into the beat up old van. What just happened? Max and Michael seemed to notice Isabel's awakeness and the fact that she was breathing rather heavily.

"You ok?" Max asked her.

"I think I was just dream walked." Isabel said as she placed a hand to her forehead and started to rub her temples.

"By who?" Michael asked immediately on guard.

"I don't think it was Kivar." Isabel said before sitting back in her seat.

Max felt curious about the tone in her voice.

"Who?" He asked.

"Max, I think it was…your child." Isabel said slowly, and then waited for his reaction.

* * *

Maria sat still on the arm of the couch while Liz moved constantly throughout the living room. It was hard for her to sit still and she had to do something.

"Liz, why don't you sit down?" Maria asked her friend.

"I need to keep busy Maria, I mean, what if the special unit did see the news? What are we going to do without Max, Michael, or Isabel. Kyle's right, we can't protect ourselves like they could. What Kyle and I can do with our powers is nothing compared to what they can do." Liz said.

When Maria was about to reply Kyle came strolling into the house with a huge smile on his face.

"You guys will not believe what happened tonight." He said fully excited.

"You saved the mayor's daughter." Maria said dryly.

"How'd you guess?" He asked curiously, but still with a smile.

"It's all over the news." Liz said as she finally found the urge to sit down, and she did so.

"What do you mean it's all over the news?" Kyle asked, his smile now gone.

"We checked the news after you didn't call to tell us that you were all right and that was on." Maria said as she shifted into a more comfortable spot.

"We're not mad at you. How could we be after you saved a little girls life? We just, how are we going to deal with this?" Liz asked from the couch as Kyle sat in the chair.

Kyle rubbed his face with both his hands before looking up wearily at the girls.

"I think we should just hope for the best." He said lamely.

"Hope for the best?! You want us to hope for the best when we could get carted off to the white room!" Maria yelled at him. "Are you seriously loosing it?! Oh I forgot, you weren't in the 'club' when Max got taken away. Just a side note, it wasn't fun!"

"Maria, calm down. Kyle we just, we know what it was like when this happened to Max and we are scared. We've dealt with Pierce and you haven't. This is too real for us not to do anything." Liz said calmly before wincing from a strong kick delivered from the baby.

"You ok?" Kyle asked when he saw her wince.

"Yeah, baby's just active." Liz said before starting to stand up. "I'm going to try to get some sleep. Maria, I do think that we should wait this out. What are we going to do if we don't?" Liz said to her before walking over to Kyle. "And we are proud of you, I'm just sorry that your big day was marred by this this." Liz told him as she bent down and kissed his cheek.

She smiled at them both and then waddled off to her room. Maria looked over at Kyle and then back to Liz's closed door.

"Who was that and what did she do with Liz?" Maria asked.

"I have absolutely no idea but if she's that nice in the delivery room I'm set." Kyle said with a smile before getting up to go to bed.

* * *

"Wait, why would my child contact you instead of me?" Max asked them for the millionth time.

"I don't know Max, why don't I just get out my crystal ball." Isabel said sarcastically. "Maybe it was just because I was the one asleep, I don't know."

"How do you know that it was junior contacting you anyway?" Michael asked.

"I don't, it's just this really strong feeling. It's like I know this voice." Isabel tried to explain.

"So automatically it was Maxwell's kid, great." Michael said. "Why do you have to keep on loosing your kids?"

"Michael…" Isabel began to scold him.

"I mean seriously man, have you ever heard of birth control? It's a simple concept that can do so much." Michael said to Max.

"It's not like I planned this Michael." Max said back.

"We all know that Max, Michael's just a block head." Isabel said pointedly while she tried to comfort Max.

"What did the baby say?" Max asked Isabel.

"Umm, it was very confusing…" Isabel tried to stall.

"Just spit it out, how bad can it be?" Michael said from his chair.

"Help me." Isabel repeated the baby's words.

Max sat in shock while Michael found his voice.

"That bad huh?"

"We don't even know what that means." Isabel said.

"Yes we do." Max said finally. "We need to find my…"

"kid. We know." Michael whined. "When we find Liz, Maria, and Kyle, I'm putting a tracking bracelet on all of them."

* * *

Amanda stood at the front door of the house whose occupants she had grown to hate. She never hated anyone, except the random person who was mean and the bully, but never did she not forgive. She had to end it now, this didn't mean that she had to go back to being best friends with them, but forgiving them was the first step.

"You gonna stand there all day or were you thinking about knocking?" Liz asked from inside the house.

"I was gonna flip a coin." Amanda replied halfheartedly.

"Come on in." Amanda let the door open and she walked in.

"What's up?" Amanda asked casually. Liz just shrugged and let Amanda do the talking. "Ok, umm, Dee was my best friend. We did everything together and when you told me that you knew about the accident I was upset because I now didn't have anyone to do anything with." Amanda paused to take a deep breath in. "I miss her and no matter how hard I want her here she will never be here. I feel so alone and so abandoned, it hurts. I was mad at her for leaving me. I guess when you came over that day I just took all of what I was feeling out on you." Liz nodded. "I'm sorry and I was kind of hoping you could forgive me about being so cruel."

"You didn't have to apologize for your feelings. I understand that. I'm sorry for not telling you about what was suppose to happen." Liz said as she eased into the couch.

"I just wanted to say those things, I umm, I have to go. I'll see you around." Amanda said as she started towards the door.

"Promise me that we will be friends again." Liz called out.

Amanda turned around slowly to look Liz in the eyes. "I promise." She said sincerely before walking out of the house.

Liz smiled as her child kicked, Liz knew that everything would be ok once again, they just needed time.

**A/N:** Just a side note since people have been asking me alot about the vision of the accident. Liz's vision was not wrong, her vision was of Amanda dieing. The car accident was suppose to happen, just Amanda was not suppose to be in it. As for Liz's vision of Max shooting her, you will find out soon enough. **R&R!!**

_**Next Chapter:** Hello This is Your Wake Up Call_ -- Kyle's job as Liz's birthing coach takes on a whole new meaning. An old enemy resurfaces to claim the throne.


	20. Hello, This is Your Wakeup Call

**__**

Part 20: Hello, this is your wake up Call

Maria sat on Liz's right side while Kyle sat on Liz's left side.

"Breath, deep cleansing breaths." Maria coached.

Liz took a deep cleansing breath and then let it out.

"Now Liz find your focal point." Kyle coached.

Liz looked ahead at the stuffed rabbit in front of her.

"Good now take another breath." Maria said.

Liz sent a glare her way and Maria backed off.

"Guys, it's only Lamaze _'class_'. It's not the real thing." Liz said as they each settled down and continued with the breathing exercises.

"Now, tonight before you all leave I want your partners to come up to the table and take one of these birthing pads. It's new to our 'training' and myself and my superiors thought it a good idea to let your partners, who are less fortunate to not be able to experience this glorious nine months, be able to take a walk in your shoes. Each of your birthing partners will have to wear this pad for a full twenty four hours. Now all of you guys come on up here and pick out your baby for a day." The teacher said from the head of the room.

Kyle looked pleadingly at Liz.

"You heard the woman, go pick up Kyle junior." Maria laughed.

"Why do I have to do this? I'm not the one who got you pregnant." Kyle pointed out.

"But you are her birthing coach, so go on coach, walk a mile in your player's shoes." Maria said as she pushed him to the table.

"When I find Max Evans I am going to kick his ass." Kyle muttered as he picked up the heavy pad full of weights. "You have got to be kidding me."

* * *

Liz sat on the couch with Maria and Candace waiting for Kyle to emerge from the bathroom.

"Come on beautiful, you can't spend your whole day in that bathroom!" Maria yelled to him.

"I'm not coming out!" Kyle yelled from the bathroom.

"Nicky, you can't cheat your way out of this! You have to see what it's like for Kathleen to walk around with that baby, now come on!" Candace cheered him on.

"All right, but if you guys laugh I am coming straight back in here." He warned as he started to exit the room and enter the living room.

When he stepped into the living room the girls saw him with a stomach as big as Liz's and a pink t-shirt that said 'coach' and an arrow pointing to his stomach saying 'little coach'. Candace instantly put a hand over her mouth while Liz bit her bottom lip. Maria however was not as nice. She couldn't stop laughing.

"Kyle you're absolutely glowing." Maria said through her hysteria.

"Come on, it's time for supper." Candace said as she helped Liz off the couch and they walked out of the house towards the Williams'.

When they entered Liz found a comfortable spot on the couch next to Ariel while Kyle tried to sit down in the chair.

"God, Liz, how do you do this?" He asked as he finally sat.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Liz asked as Ariel rubbed Liz's shoulders.

"Hey runt, when you're done with pregnant lady over there wanna hit me up with a massage?" Kyle asked nicely.

"No can do Shamoo." Ariel said as she continued working on Liz.

* * *

"I want that child found and I want it found now!" A gloved hand came down hard upon the wood table in front of a teenage boy.

"I understand that sir, but the queen is being a little difficult to find." The boy told the older man, who appeared to be in his early twenty's.

"I don't think you do understand. If that child is allowed to survive, any chance I have at claiming that throne is gone. Now, our only chance is to find the girl while she is still away from Zan. Once they join together again, he will never let any harm come to her or the child."

"Yes sir." The boy said.

"Now go, and Nicholas." The man turned around. "Make me proud."

"Yes sir, Kivar."

**A/N:** Ooh, cliffhanger much? Please tell me what you all think about this, I know it's short but the next chapter is longer. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Phone Home_ -- Liz doubts herself in becoming a mother, the three teens feel drawn to call home, and Kyle & Maria get an unwelcome surprise.


	21. Phone Home

**__**

Part 21: Phone Home

Liz watched as Kyle and Maria packed her bag for the hospital. They packed everything from lotion to overnight t-shirts. Liz stopped them when they started on the baby's supplies.

"Wait, what outfit are we gonna bring?" Liz asked.

"How bout the one that Candace bought? It's cute and it can totally work for either a boy or a girl." Maria held up the little onsie that said 'I'm with the coach'.

"Ok, guys…" The two of them looked at her. "I'm not ready to be a mom." Liz started to sob.

"Liz, you are the most ready person I know. I mean, if it had to happen to any of us, it's a good thing it's you." Maria said as she sat next to her.

"Seriously. I don't want to even think about what Maria would be like if she were pregnant and me…let's not go there." Maria started to giggle but saw that Kyle wasn't finished. "You are going to do fine, you want to know why? Because I have faith in you."

"That makes me feel a whole lot better." Liz said sarcastically.

"Liz, do not make me play the 'how-many-things-have-you-sacrificed-in-the-past-three-years' card." Maria said.

"I don't believe that card was ever played on me." Kyle said to Maria.

"What have you sacrificed?" Maria asked with a laugh.

"Uhh, friends, football, the truth." Kyle said.

"Oh boo who, football and your equally loser jock friends. Yeah you gave up a hell of a lot."

"Would you two stop it?! I'm having a crisis here! Me time!" Liz cried out from the couch.

Kyle and Maria each laughed.

"Liz you are going to do fine. I don't think you would be pregnant if you weren't ready." Kyle said to her before getting up and continuing to pack.

* * *

"We're doing a talent show at school and I still have no idea what I'm gonna do. I'm talent less." Ariel said from one of the chairs at her grandmother's house as they ate supper.

"Oh stop being such a drama queen." Amanda said from her spot next to her.

"How about singing?" Maria asked.

"She's tone deaf." Amanda said but earned a whack in the head from her grandmother.

"I am." Ariel told them.

"How about…acting? You could put on a little one person skit." Liz said.

As Amanda was about to open her mouth her grandmother sent her a glare.

"Say it and you'll be sorry." Amanda stopped and proceeded to eat her food.

"I don't know if I could." Ariel said. "Would you guys come to the talent show?"

"Of course. When is it?" Kyle asked from his seat next to Candace.

"March 16th. Please say you'll be there." Ariel begged.

"You know what? I'm due a week after that so that would be perfect." Liz said.

"Well, as soon as we get home we'll mark it on out calendar." Maria told the nine year old.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Ariel said excitedly as she jumped off her chair and ran to the three.

Everyone enjoyed each others company now. Ariel and Amanda had each started liking the newcomers and things were happy. It was like they were a real family.

"So Nicky, we still on for fishing next week?" The older Jim asked.

"You bet. I've been waiting for this all winter. I even got a license." Kyle said with a smile.

"Yeah, because you know you can fish without one right?" Maria said sarcastically.

"Shut up please." Kyle said to her.

They all continued with dinner and pleasant conversation until about seven o'clock when Liz, Maria, and Kyle went home. As soon as they walked through the doors Maria went straight for the calendar and marked Ariel's play on it. Liz plopped down on the couch and looked at Kyle who seemed distracted.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Liz asked him.

"I was just thinking, the last time I went fishing was with my dad. We ended up arguing about my 'spiritual journey' and then the whole town disappeared." Kyle recalled.

"Oh, yeah, then you and Max argued." Liz told him.

"I was more thinking about the fishing part, but yeah Max got on my nerves." Kyle let out a half hearted laugh.

"You want to call him." Liz realized.

"Only for a couple minutes. Liz we all miss home, we've been running too long, we deserve this." Kyle said as Liz handed him the phone.

"I know." She said simply before trying unsuccessfully to get off the couch. "You might have to leave the room, I'm a little weighed down at the moment."

Kyle laughed a little before smiling at her. "Ok." He said before walking into the nursery.

"Where'd Buddha boy go?" Maria asked when she entered the room.

"He went to call his dad." Liz said as she looked at her friend.

"Cool, so I call the phone next." Maria said as she sat in Kyle's seat before flipping on the TV.

* * *

"Hello?" The male voice asked as he picked up the phone.

"Dad." Kyle said into the phone.

"Kyle? Is that you son?" Valenti asked through his end.

"Yeah, it's me." Kyle smiled at the sound of his father's voice. "So how's Roswell?"

"You know, same ole, same ole. How bout you guys? Where are you?" Valenti asked.

"I can't really tell you dad. It's not safe." Kyle said.

"I know, I guess I was just kind of hoping you would tell me. I miss you son."

"Yeah, I miss you too dad." Kyle said. "Dad there's something I have to tell you."

"Go ahead, I'm listening." Kyle took a deep breath. How was his father going to take the news?

* * *

Maria sat on the couch with Liz who was trying to get into Kyle's head. Kyle's new powers were mainly one way but sometimes she could get in, too.

"Anything?" Maria asked in a whisper.

"Nothing." Liz answered.

Both girls jumped when they felt Kyle's hands touch each of their shoulders.

"What are you trying to do, scare us to death?" Maria asked.

"Phone's all yours." Kyle said as he half heartedly tossed the phone to Maria.

"You ok?" Liz asked him.

"Yeah, just peachy. Maria, you gonna call your mom or what?" Kyle snapped at Maria.

"Gees, what's your problem?!" Maria snapped back.

"You won't reach your mom on your old number." Kyle said simply before handing her a sheet of paper.

"What's this?" Maria asked curiously.

"Call and find out. Now if you will excuse me I have to wash my ears." Kyle said before walking into the bathroom.

Maria hesitantly dialed the number and looked over at Liz with wide eyes.

"Eww!" She cried out as she pushed the button down hard on the phone.

"What?" Liz asked. No one was telling her anything.

"My MOM and Valenti are _married!_" Maria said as if it was the end of the world.

"Soo." Liz asked.

"I can't even think about this right now." Maria said while throwing her arms in the air and walking out of the room.

"What did I miss?" Liz asked herself as she was left alone in the room.

Liz jumped when the phone rang next to her. She looked around and seeing how no one was coming to answer it she picked it up.

"Hello?" She asked hesitantly.

"Liz?" The voice on the other end was very familiar.

"Ms. Deluca?" Liz asked.

"Liz let me speak to my daughter." Maria's mother said from the other end of the phone.

Liz walked to Maria's room and knocked on the door.

"Maria, phone." Liz called out and Maria only let her arm come out through the tiny crack in the door before taking the phone.

Liz waited for the yelling to start. The Deluca women were famous for yelling, she should know, she was best friends with one. And sure enough it did.

**A/N:** I hope you all liked this chapter. Don't worry, I try to cover everything, and I'm still not finished. LOL. Oh yeah, don't forget that I have other stories too (Hint, hint, nudge, nudge)** R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter**: Going Home_ -- Liz's phone conversation reveals something devastating, and Nick has a little surprise for Candace, which blows up in his face.


	22. Going Home

**__**

Part 22: Going Home

Liz sat staring at the telephone wondering if she should pick it up.

"It's not gonna bite you." Kyle said from beside her making her jump.

"You jerk." Liz said as she slapped his arm. "What do I say to them?"

"I thought they already knew what happened. You did send them your journal right?" Kyle asked as he bit into his apple.

"Yeah, but…"  
  
"They'll understand. My dad understood. Maria's mom more or less understood, after she screamed and yelled, a lot." Kyle told her.

Liz took a deep breath and picked up the phone, hopefully this would go good.

****

Roswell, New Mexico

"Hello?" The woman answered her phone but received nothing but static. "Hello?" She tried again.

"Mom…" A little voice said from the other end. She knew that voice.

"Lizzie?" The woman cried out.

"It's me." The voice on the other end breathed out. She could tell that Liz was crying also.

"Oh, sweetie, how are you? Where are you? Is everything ok? Let me speak to that no good husband of yours." Nancy commanded all at once.

"Mom, slow down. I'm fine, I can't tell you, everything is going ok, and that no good husband of mine isn't here." Liz told her mother, almost relieved that she was badgering her about Max.

"Well then where is he?" Nancy asked, afraid of where this was going.

"We kind of separated. It's really a…long story and I don't want to get into it over the phone." Nancy nodded even though Liz couldn't see her. "How are you? Is the café doing good? How's dad?"

Nancy froze, she wanted Liz here but she was afraid that this would tear her apart seeing as how she was miles away. There was nothing she could do, just worry.

"Honey, there's something I need to tell you." Nancy said slowly.

"What is it? Is everything ok?" Liz asked urgently.

"Sweetie, I don't want you to get worried but…your father, he had…he had a heart attack." Nancy said before letting out the tears.

"How is he?" Liz asked while rubbing her stomach.

"He's uhh, he's not doing too good. The doctors don't think he's gonna pull through." Nancy reluctantly told her daughter.

"When?" Liz asked, the only word that would form in her mouth.

"Last night. I've been at the hospital all day, Amy and Diane finally pushed me to go home. Oh honey, I'm so sorry I had to tell you this." Nancy apologized.

"We'll be on the next flight out." Liz said before hanging up.

* * *

Liz walked into the kitchen where Kyle and Maria were laughing while making dinner.

"Hey." Kyle said as he finally noticed her presence. "What's wrong?"

"My dad, he had a heart attack and the doctors…they don't think that he'll make it." Liz said while staring off into nothingness. Maria knew that look, Liz had that look when Max was taken by the special unit.

"Oh God, how's your mom doing?" Kyle asked as he sat down beside her.

"She's being strong, I told her that we'd be on the next flight out." Liz said to them.

"Liz we can't. We don't have the money, you can not fly in your condition…"

Liz picked up a stray dollar bill that was lying on the table and it instantly turned into a one hundred dollar bill.

"That's cheating Baby Bob." Kyle said directly to Liz's stomach.

"That wasn't the baby, it was me. You can't stop me from going." Liz told them.

"Liz this is insane." Kyle told her.

Maria watched the argument play out in front of her.

"You're not going alone. We'll go with you." Maria spoke up.

"Thank you." Liz said to Maria before turning to Kyle. "What about you?"

"I guess I'll go, can't very well let you have all the fun." He said as his frown turned into a smile.

"So, we're goin back to Roswell." Liz looked to each of them.

"I'll go pack a bag." Maria said as she left the kitchen and went to her room.

* * *

Candace walked into the house and saw no one was there.

"Nicky? It's Candace, you called me so you have to be here somewhere." Candace called out.

"Hey." He said from the couch.

"Nicky, you scared me." Candace said as she sat next to him on the couch.

"We have to talk." He said with a look of dread on his face. "My name's not Nicholas. It's Kyle. Kyle Valenti.

I am color...blind   
Coffee black and egg white   
Pull me out from inside   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am 

Candace simply nodded as he began to speak. He needed to tell her, she needed to know the truth. He felt something for her that couldn't be denied anymore. If she didn't find out soon it would kill him, his whole relationship with her would be a lie. He told her, in detail, about that last three years. About Liz getting shot, about himself getting shot, about Max, Michael, and Isabel, about Tess, about Alex, everything. As he spoke Candace's face seemed to be set in stone. She didn't say anything, she didn't tell him he was crazy, nothing.

Taffy stuck, tongue tied   
Stuttered shook and uptight   
Pull me out from inside   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am...fine 

"That's about it." Kyle said when he was finished.

Candace swallowed hard and she looked away from him.

"Wow." Was all she could say.

"Candace." He put his hand on her arm but she jerked it away.

"I umm, I need time to think about all…this." She said to him.

Kyle nodded silently as she stood up.

"I'm sorry, I thought you would accept all this." Kyle said to her.

"Well, you thought wrong. Nick…Kyle, whatever your name is. You lied to me, you told me you were someone else, now you're telling me that you're not. How do I know if anything you say is true?" Candace said on the verge of tears.

"Because I care about you."

Candace snorted a laugh before looking him straight in the eye.

"I can't believe I actually fell for someone like you." She said before turning to go.

"Amanda knows. She knows the truth." Kyle told her, his hands in his pocket and his head facing the floor.

"Well, I'm not her and I'm not all right with this. I need time." Candace told him, her strong angry front melting away.

"I'm going back to Roswell." He told her.

"Good bye." She said, her back set in a straight line as she walked out of the house.

* * *

Amanda sat at her desk in her room working on last minute homework for her Trigonometry class and was rudely interrupted by her older sister slamming her door shut.

"Do you mind, I have to get his done?" Amanda asked her sister without turning to look at her.

"I want to know the truth, all of it." Candace ground out as Amanda turned to look at her.

Amanda knew what this meant. Kyle had spilt the beans.

_

* * *

I am covered in skin   
No one gets to come in   
Pull me out from inside   
I am folded, and unfolded, and unfolding   
I am   
colorblind _

Liz hugged Amanda one last time before Maria hugged her.

"You guys are going to be back right?" Amanda asked.

"Of course we are. You couldn't keep us away if you tried." Liz told her. They each looked over to where Kyle stood watching the doors open and close.

"She's not coming is she?" Kyle asked them. He knew that Candace was upset with him, but he never thought she would let him leave without saying good bye, at least.

"No." Amanda said simply. "She's really upset, and not just with you guys. She's pretty pissed at me too."

"We're sorry." Maria apologized.

"Don't be, if she's not mad at me for one thing, it's another. This is just the argument of the week." Amanda shrugged it off with a smile. "She'll get over it and by the time you get back she'll have left a gazillion messages on your machine." She told Kyle.

"I wish that was true." Kyle said as he hugged Amanda.

"I don't know why we're all crying, I mean we're gonna see each other again, right?" Amanda said as she wiped a tear away from her face.

"Right. We'll be back soon enough." Maria told her. "Oh come here and give me one last hug." Maria opened her arms and Amanda ran into them.

"Flight 47 to Albuquerque, New Mexico is now boarding at this time." A voice came over the loud speaker.

"That's us." Kyle said as he pried Amanda away from Liz and Maria.

"You guys be safe, and call us as soon as you get there, and as soon as you get to Roswell." Amanda yelled to them as they walked to the gate.

Kyle looked back one last time before he handed his boarding pass to a flight attendant.

"Kyle!" He heard his name being screamed, probably someone else. "Kyle!"

He turned around to see if it was Amanda, but it wasn't Amanda. It was Candace.

"Kyle, Wait!" She commanded as she ran to him. "Wait!"

Kyle stepped out of the line and opened his arms as Candace collided with him. He picked her up and spun her around.

"What are you doing here?" He put her down when her face was inches away from his.

"I couldn't let you leave…I needed to tell you something." Candace breathed out.

Kyle nodded slowly as she tried to catch her breath.

"I love you." She said simply. Kyle's eyes bugged out and his mouth dropped open. "I think I always have. You see, when you told me last night I was nervous. This meant that I didn't know everything about you, I barely knew you. You surprise me, Kyle, and last night you surprised me again. I love the way you laugh and the way you smile. But most of all I love you." Candace told him in one breath.

"I love you too." He whispered out before kissing her senseless.

Coffee black and egg white   
Pull me out from inside   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am ready   
I am...fine   
I am.... fine 

"Sir, I'm about to close the door, would you still like to board?" The woman who took his boarding pass asked him.

"I have to go." He whispered to her.

"I'm going with you." Candace whispered back with a smile.

"Sir?"

"We're going." Candace said as she took his hand and led him to the door.

Kyle looked once again at this amazing woman who he was head over heels for. Wait, let me clarify that, in Love with.

"So, you ready to go home?" Liz asked Kyle when he sat down with Candace, neither girl was surprised.

Kyle looked over at Candace who squeezed his hand.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

_I am fine_

_**A/N:** _Hope you all liked the chapter. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter**: You Don't Have To Let Go_ -- Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Candace reunite with the parents.


	23. You Don't Have To Let Go

**__**

Part 23: You Don't Have to Let Go

Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Candace jumped off the plane and went straight to the luggage carrousel. Maria grabbed her duffel bag while Kyle took his, Liz's and Candace's.

"Kyle." Maria said in a sing song voice.

"What am I? A pack horse?" Kyle said as he said no.

"Fine, but I'm telling when we get home. Mom and 'Dad' won't be too happy." Maria teased him.

"So you two are really brother and sister?" Candace asked. They tried to fill her in on the plane but it was hard with all the people.

"Only by marriage." Kyle said fast.

"Don't sound too happy." Maria pouted.

Liz and Candace just laughed as Kyle filled out the paper work for the rent-a-car. They all walked out to the parking lot where their rented Volvo was waiting for them. Kyle packed the bags in the trunk and then jumped into the driver seat. Maria sat in the passenger seat to navigate and Liz and Candace sat in the back seat. Maria and Kyle talked back and forth till they finally got to the UFO center sign that they had been at just two years before.

"Wow, it's still here." Kyle observed as they all stepped out of the car.

"I can't believe it. I mean I can, but it seems so long ago." Maria said.

"You're gonna have to fill us in, because Candace wasn't here and I disappeared." Liz said sarcastically.

"When the skins and Nicholas made the whole town disappear we came here to turn the power back on. I remember I got one skin before I disappeared and then it was up to Maria." Kyle said.

"And of course I saved the day." Maria smiled proudly.

"You guys had a strange life." Candace said as Kyle put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head.

"You have no idea." He told her.

They all got back into the car and continued to go. As they drove through the town they explained each significant place to Candace, it seemed everything had an alien background. As they drove to the Hospital where Liz was certain her mother would be they each had a strong feeling. Like they were being watched.

Liz ran into the hospital room faster than she thought she could. Maria and Kyle were close behind her with Candace taking up the end. As soon as they spotted their parents Liz ran straight for her mother.

"Mom!" Liz ran as she yelled to her mother.

"Liz!" Nancy screamed as she saw Liz come into focus.

"Mom!" Maria yelled as she ran into her mother's arms.

"Maria, baby, Oh God." Amy said as she hugged her daughter close and they cried.

"Hey dad." Kyle said as his father pulled him into a hug.

"Kyle, son, it's so great to see you."

"Yeah, it's great to be seen." Kyle laughed and then remembered the brunette to his left. "Dad this is Candace."

"Oh Lizzie, you're pregnant." Nancy said as she put her hands on Liz's stomach and felt the baby kick.

"Nine months to be exact." Liz said proudly as she pulled her mother to her again.

"Oh, look at all of you. You look so grown up." Amy said as she observed all three of them.

"Candace, this is my step-mother Amy. Amy this is my girlfriend, Candace." Kyle introduced her.

They all exchanged pleasantries before Liz came face to face with one of her worst fears. The Evans'. Ever since the kids left, the adults had grown closer and were now best friends. Liz had only suspected that much but she now saw it true. She would now have to explain to Max's parents why he wasn't with them.

"Liz, Maria, Kyle, oh thank God you three are all right. When Nancy told us all last night that you three were on your way out we were so worried that something would happen." Diane Evans said as she pulled Liz into a hug. "How are you dear?"

"I'm…fine." Liz said, this was not what she expected.

"It's so good to have you all home." Philip said as Diane took the other two in her arms as well.

"Mrs. Parker…" Jeff's doctor entered the waiting room where the reunion took place.

Nancy nodded for Liz to stay with Mrs. Evans and she continued to walk towards the doctor. They all heard quiet whispering but they couldn't make out any words. Their voices seemed so low. Liz watched her mother's face as it fell and she seemed to shake a little. Her hands were also twisting, which she did when she was nervous. Nancy walked back to the small group and Jim put his arm around her and Amy hugged her.

"He umm, he said that Jeff doesn't look too good. It seems that there was a loss of blood flow to his heart, I don't know, it's too confusing. Umm, the doctor said that we all should go in and say our goodbyes now, he doesn't have much time left." Nancy said with a straight face. She had to be strong, not just for herself now, but for Liz's sake.

"He's your dad, we can say good bye later." Maria said as she hugged Liz.

Nancy took Liz's hand and led her down the corridor of the hospital to Jeff's room.

The constant beeps of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room. Nancy let Liz's hand go and kissed her forehead.

"You should get some time alone with him." Nancy said before slowly leaving the room.

Liz looked around, the room seemed so familiar. Then it hit her, Grandma Claudia died in this room. It seemed so ironic, her father was dieing in this room and her grandmother had already died in this room. Liz sat down in the very same chair that she sat in when her grandmother was here. She prayed that Max would come strolling through that door again, but she knew that her chances were slim to none.

"Daddy." Liz said silently. "I'm here."

Liz wiped the already forming tears in her eyes away. She needed to be strong, she needed to say these things before they were too late.

I don't need your strength anymore  
cause you've made me strong  
You may not see the one light in me  
And you dreamed of  
Holding me in your arms

"Dad I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything. You have no idea how much I hated lying to you and Mom. I never wanted to hurt you guys, I never wanted to leave you." Liz said as she cried. She picked up his hand carefully and brought it to her lips. "You're gonna be a grandpa."

All the days that you gave  
All the moments you've saved me,  
Praying for my life  
Sacrificed, just to make me who I am on my own  
You don't have to let go

Liz's mother came in and put her hand on Liz's shoulder. Liz let the tears wrack her body, the tremors that came made her feel so weak. Nancy bent down on her side and looked her only daughter in the eyes.

"He knew that you loved him. He knew you were sorry. He…he was so proud of you… of the woman you had become. You made us both very proud." Nancy told Liz.

Liz opened her arms for her mother and they both sat crying in each others arms. They broke apart by the sound of a voice.

"I love you, both of you." Jeff whispered and the flicker of hope that ignited in Liz made her jump up.

"Dad." She smiled but saw his eyes were still closed.

Nancy stood up as well and wiped the tears from her eyes and both women stood just staring at him. As Nancy turned to give the two of them more time the monitor stopped its steady rhythm of beeps and was replaced by one long beep.

You don't say it  
But it's in your eyes  
All the fears of good-bye  
But I can promise  
You'll always have a place, and a way to my heart

Liz felt overwhelmed and cried out as her mother pulled her into her arms. No this couldn't be happening, she just got here, there was so much…

"Time of death…" Liz heard the doctor say. Jim escorted Liz and Nancy both out of the hospital. Kyle told Liz that they would meet her at her house.

Her house. Her house was no longer in Roswell, it seemed so strange that things could change so much. When Jim pulled up at the Crashdown, he helped Liz out of the car before hugging both her and Nancy. He drove away leaving the two women alone.

All the days that you gave  
All the moments you've saved me,   
Praying for my life  
Sacrificed, just to make me who I am on my own  
You don't have to let go

Liz walked slowly into her old room. Nothing in it had changed. Everything was just as she left it. It surprised her though, when she found a picture of herself and Max on her dresser. She didn't even know that she had a picture like this in a frame.

"After your journal reached us I put that picture in a frame. I looked through your old shoebox which was full of pictures of the eight of you." Nancy said from behind Liz. "Your father had your prom picture framed and it's down in the café. He was so proud of it. He would tell everyone who came in that that picture was of his daughter and the kids who practically lived here." Nancy smiled at the memory. "He was so proud of all of you. I think after your one entry, he was even proud of Tess."

"I wish I could talk to him." Liz said as she put the picture back on her dresser.

"I know, but he'll always be in your heart." Nancy said before leaving the room._I can live  
Cause you lived for me  
And I can love  
Because you loved me._

_All the days that you gave  
All the moments you've saved me,  
Praying for my life  
Sacrificed, just to make me who I am on my own  
You don't have to let go_

_(Ooh ooh ooh)  
You don't have to let go_

**_A/N: _**The song was Jessica Simpson's 'You Don't Have To Let Go'. I hope you liked this part becasue I have no idea when I will be able to post again. My computer is sick so I am not allowed to go on it until my mommy makes it better. ** R&R!!**

**_The Next Chapter: Can You Hear Me When I Talk To You_ -- **Ariel and Zira meet some familiar faces, Liz says her final good bye to her father, and Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Candace get the surprise of a lifetime.


	24. Can You Hear Me When I Talk To You

**__**

Part 24: Can You Hear Me When I Talk To You

Liz sat on her old bed in a black maternity dress crying. Today was her father's funeral and she didn't think that she would be able to go and not break down. She was trying to be brave for her mother, her mother needed her right now and she was no good to her mom if she was a mess. An old video sat on Liz's nightstand which she had yet to watch. Kyle and Maria were each staying at their parents house. It seemed so weird for them to think of each other as brother and sister. It just seemed impossible.

"Knock, knock." Maria knocked on Liz's door.

"Hey, what are you up too?" Liz asked her friend.

Maria walked over to Liz and put her head down on Liz's shoulder. No matter what they went through Liz was always the one people could lean on, even when Max died, Liz was stronger than even Maria. Well, she was stronger, before she got drunk.

"You going to be ok?" Maria asked her.

"Yeah, you know baby bob is being less active so I think I can make it through the service without having to pee." Liz said which made Maria laugh. "As long as I can be there for my mom everything will be ok."

"Liz, come on, it's me." Maria urged her.

"No, Maria, everything is going to be ok." Liz said confidently before wiping old tears off her face.

* * *

"Sir, we have a lock on the queen. She's in Roswell." Nicholas told Kivar over his cell phone.

"Good, that's just perfect." Kivar said before he closed his flip phone. "Perfect indeed."

* * *

"Oh my God. Look at this!" Isabel cried out at the gas station. They had finally made it full circle and were now in a town just two hours away from Philadelphia.

"What?" Michael asked as he and Max came to see what she was looking at.

"It's Kyle." Isabel pointed to the cover of the paper.

"What? How did he get on the cover of the paper. Aren't they being careful?" Michael asked outraged.

"It looks like he saved a little girls life and his name isn't Kyle anymore. It's Nicholas Stevens." Isabel told them.

"They live around here?" Michael asked her.

"Yep. Says here that they live in Old Forge." Max said as he read the paragraph.

"And look what we're in, Old Forge." Isabel said sweetly.

"Let's look them up, and have that little reunion I know we're all dieing to have." Michael said as he took the nozzle out of the gas gauge.

* * *

"Can I help you?" An elderly woman asked from the porch of the house next to Liz, Maria, and Kyle's house.

"Umm, yeah, we're looking for the people who live here." Isabel said as the three of them stepped off the porch.

"Kathleen, Vanessa, and Nicky?" Zira asked.

"Yeah." Isabel said even though the boys were about to object.

"Oh, they went home. Seems Kathy's father had a heart attack. Do you three know them?" Zira asked but was interrupted by her granddaughter coming out onto the porch.

"Gramma, Candace is on the phone and she wants to talk to you." Ariel said to her grandmother but then noticed the three familiar figures standing in her friends' yard.

It was them, it was baby bob's daddy.

**_

* * *

_**

Three hours later

Time passes by so quickly,   
But I guess I thought you'd be here forever.   
I never even had the chance to say good-bye.   
There's so many things to tell you,   
Left unsaid until now. 

Liz sat and watched them lower her father into the ground. Kyle stood on one side of her with Candace holding his hand while Maria sat on the other side of Liz, holding her hand. Liz's hands were fully occupied, between her crying mother and Maria. Liz didn't think she had anything in her to cry. She had cried so much over the past week that she didn't think she had anymore left.

Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Do the words I say ever make it through?   
Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Cuz I'd give anything if I just knew. 

Even as she sat there she heard her father's voice in her head. Everything he ever said to her flashed through her mind but certain ones stuck out.

**"I** **told you, about showing the alien photos to the tourists."**

**"You've been so busy with school and new friends, I mean, we don't even get a chance to talk."**

**"Uh, listen, sweetie, about this camping weekend. We should just go and take advantage of the time together. I wouldn't miss that for anything."**

**"You're the poem, Liz. You're the poem."**

Every night I have the same dream,   
The one where you get to hold me.   
We laugh and talk until the morning, then you vanish, yea.   
It always leaves me feeling helpless,   
When I wake up and your not there.

Everyone started to leave and they all hugged Liz and Nancy or shook their hands. Kyle and Candace watched as everyone was walking by. Maria stood with Liz and held her free hand, even when she hugged someone. Jim, Amy, Diane, and Philip stood talking as they each said good bye to Jeff Parker in their own way.

Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Do you know how much I'd love to be with you?   
Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Cuz I'd give anything if I just knew. 

Nancy hugged Liz one last time before Amy claimed Nancy in a hug and Diane took Liz in her arms. It was surprisingly reassuring to have her mother-in-law hug her. Phillip hugged Liz next. It was hard to think that this man was the only grandfather that her child had left.

Living in this world without you,   
I constantly search through my memories,   
Hoping that I find some treasures that I've passed over, yea   
And all that I've took for granted,   
Means so much now and I won't let it go. 

Maria hugged Kyle as all the adults began to filter out. It seemed weird to be here again. The last time they were all in the cemetery was for Alex. That seemed so long ago with all the circumstances and adventures that they had gone through in the process.

Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Do you know how much I'd love to be with you?   
Can you hear me when I talk to you,   
Cuz I'd give anything if I just knew. 

Maria took Liz's hand as Kyle kissed Liz on the forehead and they all turned around to head back to their rent-a-car. As they were walking back they could feel someone following them, it also didn't help that they could hear them also. Kyle was about to stop and try blasting them but they heard one single voice.

"Liz." They all turned around at that voice and were surprised at what they saw.

You know I never said some things that I meant too.   
Can you hear me when talk to you cuz I'd give anything,   
If I jus knew...(I miss you daddy) 

"Max."

A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter, I know it's kind of short but I hope you all liked it anyway. **R&R!!**

__

The Next Chapter: The Reunion From Hell -- I think the title says it all.


	25. The Reunion From Hell

**__**

Part 25: The Reunion From Hell

Max watched Liz throughout the entire service, just wanting to hold her. She was being so strong and she was holding back so much. He just wanted to take her up in his arms and kiss all her pain away. It took all the strength Michael and Isabel had to hold him back from going to her. Even now all he wanted to do was hold her.

But before he knew it he was flat on his back with Kyle on top of him, throwing punch after punch. Michael was trying to get Kyle off of Max but he kept pushing him away.

"I hate you." Kyle said before he punched him again.

"Kyle, get off him now!" Maria commanded. Candace tried to pull Kyle off Max but he slipped through her hands.

"Get your dog off of Max!" Michael ordered Maria.

"Shut up!" Maria yelled at him.

"Make me!" Michael yelled back.

"Enough! All of you! God, Kyle get off of Max!" Liz ordered. "Maria, just stop it."

Kyle reluctantly got up and walked over to the girls. Candace took his hands and put them in hers while he stood tall in front of the three aliens.

"It's nice to see you too, Kyle." Max said as Michael and Isabel helped him up. Max spit out the blood that had formed in his mouth after Kyle decided to use his face as a punching bag.

"Let's go." Kyle said as he led the girls away.

"Don't follow us." Maria warned before following Kyle's lead.

"Welcome home." Michael said dryly before they turned back to where their rental car was parked.

* * *

Kyle sat on the couch with Maria and Liz who were now currently dressed in sweats. Nancy Parker was in the kitchen with Candace making tea and Diane and Phillip were in the café cleaning up.

"So, none of us really got a chance to talk since you all came back." Nancy said as she and Candace came into the living room.

"Yeah. It's just too long right now." Maria said as she looked towards the window.

"Mom, we want to tell you, but right now… things are just too intense." Liz told her mother.

"Well, someone better explain and they better explain fast." Amy Deluca said from the doorway where Jim was standing behind her.

"All of us parents want to know what happened that made the six of you separate." Diane said once she and Phillip entered the room.

"Can we please not talk about this?" Maria asked pleadingly with the parents. It wasn't fair that the real ones responsible weren't here.

"Roll call." A female voice said from the doorway.

The three rolled their eyes as their names were spoken.

"Deluca."

"Present." Maria said dryly.

"Valenti."

"President." Kyle clarified making the girls giggle.

"Parker-Evans."

"Pregnant." Liz said which made Kyle drop to the floor with hysteria.

Michael rolled his eyes as he, Max, and Isabel walked around the couch to face the three, not even noticing the parents.

"Real funny."

"I thought it was. Oh hey Max, how's that eye?" Kyle said sarcastically.

"What did we ever do to you three? In case you missed it, you guys left us, not the other way around!" Isabel scolded them.

"Listen I didn't need to go with you guys I came of my own free will, I came because I was not letting my best friend go off without me. I could have left that van anytime I wanted to. Don't treat me like I was bound to you for life." Maria warned but no one seemed to notice.

"Who are you?" Isabel asked after seeing Candace for the first time.

"I'm Candace." She said while outstretching her hand but no one shook it.

"She's my girlfriend." Kyle cleared up. "Don't worry about them, aliens don't have manners." Kyle told her, but everyone heard.

"What did you say?" Max asked, fear in his voice.

"She knows your deep dark secret." Maria said from her spot looking out the window.

"Why does she know?" Isabel asked, anger seething through her.

"I love her." Kyle said while looking at Candace.

"Yeah, that's original." Isabel said sarcastically before turning away.

"How many others know?" Michael asked with his hands folded across his chest.

"Just me and my sister." Candace told them.

"Great, why didn't you take it out on the front page news. It seems you've been doing a lot with the news." Michael said to Kyle.

"What's he talking about?" Amy asked, the first time the adults were acknowledged.

"Listen I didn't know that they took my picture."

"Yeah, and that makes everything all better." Michael said sarcastically.

"Michael." Max scolded.

"What? We trusted them and we let them in. They ran off, they told people about us. Now they're practically leaving a calling card for the special unit."

"You know what, Kyle saved a little girls life. He did a good thing, if you three would stop looking at the world like everyone in it is going to look at you with disgust and hatred you might be surprised. I am so sick of this." Liz said while trying to stand on her feet. "My back hurts, I'm constantly moody, I always have to pee, and I could just forget sleeping because if I find one position that I am comfortable in it's a miracle. Right now I could really give a damn about you three."

"Lizzie." Maria started but Liz shushed her.

"I am happy with the life that the three of us made. We have a life, responsibilities, friends, taxes. We do not need your crap tossed on us every time you guys decide that the world is out to get you. I'm going through a horrible time in my life and I do not need this." Liz said before walking away.

Max stared after her, broken hearted.

"Will someone please tell us what the hell is going on?" Amy said after Liz left the room.

* * *

Liz walked into the empty café to find a man staring at the picture of them from prom.

"I'm sorry sir, but we're closed." Liz told him.

"You all looked so happy here. It's funny how things can change so quickly." The man said, not looking away from the picture.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, yes you can. You see, I have a major problem that you can fix. Well, actually I can fix it but I need your help to do so." The man said. "You see, with you and that little…thing alive I can not have the throne."

"What?" Liz asked, suddenly fear gripped her heart, rendering her unable to move.

"Oh come on Liz. You're suppose to be the smart one, think about it. I want a throne, your husband has the throne. It's not that complicated."

"Kivar." Liz said but it came out no more than a whisper.

Kivar nodded his head and started walking over to her.

* * *

Michael had now taken the reigns of conducting the story and everyone just sat listening. Max felt something in the back of his mind, something that was scaring him. But it wasn't his fear. Suddenly the fear exploded into all out panic and he knew.

"Liz!" He screamed as he ran out of the room and down the steps.

Everyone just looked at him like he had gone mad but soon followed.

Sure enough, Liz was on the ground with Kivar behind her, holding her as if she were a shield.

"Hello Zan." Kivar said simply as Max ran into the café.

"Get away from my wife." Max ordered through gritted teeth.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Kivar asked cheerily.

"Because I'll kill you that's why." Max said. He didn't notice Michael or Isabel come up on both sides of him.

He outstretched his hand but nothing happened.

"Don't even bother. I disabled any alien power in a ten mile radius. You lost, I won. Now all I have to do is snap her neck and this will all be over." Kivar said with evil eyes.

Valenti walked up behind Max and took his gun out of his holster. Kyle noted that Max was in such a state that he didn't even realize it. Maybe if he could send him a message through his mind that would tell him that he had a gun behind him. He tried but he couldn't get through. Damn, guess he was more alien than he thought.

Liz saw Valenti hold the gun out to Max, but Max did not. She nodded to him almost motionlessly but Max saw. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her since he came down those steps. Max put his free hand behind his back and took the gun.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a Queen to kill." Kivar said as he began to stand up.

Max took the gun out and shot two rounds both hitting him. Liz felt pain ripple through her, it felt like it was going to tear her apart. Her vision. This was what was happening. Kivar was getting shot while she was having a contraction. Wait, contraction, this meant that she was in labor.

"I think he's dead." Valenti said as he took Kivar's pulse. "Things are always more exciting when you kids are around."

"I don't know, I thought it was kind of anticlimactic." Michael said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Speak for yourself." Maria said from the double doors.

Max walked over to where Liz was still sitting on the floor and helped her up into a hug.

"God, I've missed you so much." He said to her.

Liz felt the same pain as before roll through her entire body and couldn't find the words that Max was looking for. Kyle noticed Liz's appearance and from where he was holding Candace close to him he asked her.

"Liz, you ok?" Kyle asked.

"Umm, I think I'm about to make our day a little more climactic." Liz said as she clutched the table.

"What?" Maria asked, dreading the answer.

"I think I'm going into labor." Liz said with a look of panic on her face.

"It's probably just Braxton Hicks, right, please." Kyle pleaded.

"Yeah, probably." Maria said. Everyone immediately eased.

"No it's not." Liz said simply as she took whoever's hand was closest, which just happened to be Max's.

"Liz, what's wrong?" Max asked in fear and concern.

"My water just broke." Liz said quietly.

"Broke?" Kyle said as his voice raised to a high note before he collapsed to the ground.

"What's his problem?" Michael asked from the counter.

"Water broke, means that Liz is going into labor. Liz in labor means that Kyle's hand will be broken." Maria simplified for him. After he sent her a glare he spoke again.

"Well, that really doesn't matter now, Max is here."

Liz looked up at Max before she squeezed his hand tightly as a contraction gripped her. What had he gotten himself into?

**A/N:** I hope everyone liked this part. I personally liked the first couple paragraphs when Kyle is beating Max up, I don't know why, it just seemed funny. Now watch, I'm the only one who thought it was funny. Anyways, just in case people are wondering, I did not realize the whole time thing for getting to Roswell from Old Forge. Yes, I am blonde(I'm not making fun of other blondes, just myself). So just try to imagine that everything worked well. I'm rambling, I know. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Baby Bob's Big Entrance_ -- Again, pretty self explanatory.


	26. Baby Bob's Big Entrance

**_A/N: _**I want to dedicate this chapter to Fearless05. (I'm being commpletely and totally sarcastic, if you read the review you'd understand why.) I'm really dedicateing this chapter to everyone who gave me positive feedback, there's just too many of you too name.

_**Part 26: Baby Bob's Big Entrance**_

"OK, Liz don't push yet, ok, breath, breath." Isabel urged Liz.

Liz kept up her breathing while Max sat right beside her on her old bed. He felt useless, just holding her hand or wiping her forehead. He should be the one in pain, not Liz. Max winced as Liz squeezed his hand tighter. Maybe he was in pain too.

"You ok?" Candace asked Kyle from their corner of the room.

Kyle insisted on staying so that he could coach Max on how to be a good coach.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Kyle asked her.

"It's just that you spent the past nine months preparing to be Liz's coach. You were ready to be the one who's in the delivery room with her. Don't you feel kind of cheated out of this experience? I mean you even carried around a fake pregnant stomach." Candace explained.

Kyle thought about what Candace was saying. He was there for Liz when Max wasn't, he went to doctor's appointments with Liz, he sang freakin Footloose for that kid. What did Max do? Nothing. He wasn't around during Liz's pregnancy, he was off gallivanting around the country. The least the three of them could've done was at least chase them down. All logic or un-logic told him that he should be the one over there with Liz, but deep down in his heart, he knew that this was Max's job. Max would've been there for Liz and his kid if he could, but Kyle, Maria, and in some distorted way, Liz took that chance away from Max. They were to blame for him not being able to cherish this experience with Liz. As Kyle looked over at where Liz was fighting off another contraction, and where Max was wincing from her putting so much pressure on his hand, one thought came to mind.

"Not really. Better him than me." He said before smiling.

"Liz find your focal point. We forgot the bunny at home now just focus on something." Maria urged Liz, who was in another contraction, and from the look on her face it was a painful one. "Now, breath. Good, nice cleansing breathes."

"Maria, be quiet." Liz warned before going into another contraction. "Can I push yet?"

"No, you're still not dilated enough." Isabel told her. None of them really knew why Isabel was delivering the baby, but at the moment none of them really questioned it either.

"This is all your fault." Liz said pointedly to Max. "If you didn't get me pregnant to begin with this wouldn't be happening right now."

Maria sighed before turning her head to see Michael walking into the room with a bowl of popcorn. Figures that at a serious time he would think of food. Maria ran her hands through her blonde hair before marching over to him.

"What are you doing? Liz is in labor and all you can think about is food." She scolded him.

"No, I just find this whole thing really amusing. I mean Maxwell's getting it pretty bad in here. It's like Jerry Springer, and I always eat while watching Jerry Springer." Michael told her.

"Men, if you even had to go through half the pain that we women do…"

"Please, do not give me one of your speeches right now." Michael said while pouring some Tabasco sauce on the popcorn.

Maria rolled her eyes and walked back over to Liz.

"Ok, Liz I'm gonna check on the baby and see why he or she wants to come out so badly. You're only eight cm. And your contractions are too close together." Everyone gave Isabel odd looks. "What I watch TV too you know?"

As Isabel placed her hand on Liz's enlarged stomach she was stopped by Liz's hand on hers. She looked up to see Liz's pained brown eyes.

"If you find out if the baby's a boy or girl and you say anything, I will kill you." Liz stated firmly while squeezing Max's hand.

"Same for you Max?" Isabel questioned her brother.

"Uhh…"

"Yes, I did not go through nine months of not knowing for it all to go to hell in nine seconds." Liz said for him.

Isabel concentrated on the baby, she wanted to know if there was something wrong, why were Liz's contractions so close together when she wasn't dilated enough. As soon as Isabel connected with the baby she knew that nothing was wrong, the baby just wanted out. Isabel also saw whether she was going to have a niece or nephew.

When she blinked out of the connection she smiled widely at Max and Liz. Her eyes gave off a look of 'I know something you don't know'.

"What is it?" Maria asked excitedly.

"Maria!" Liz exclaimed, her friend was the one who convinced her to not find out to begin with.

Isabel leaned over and whispered it in Maria's ear. Maria's mouth formed a large 'o' before she squealed.

"I knew it." She stated proudly before turning to tell Candace and Kyle.

"It's a girl?" It was true that Maria wanted a girl for Liz instead of a boy, so that was the safest bet.

"I never said that." Maria teased.

"It's a boy?" Max asked, so far everyone in the room knew except for him and Liz, and it was their child.

"Never said that either." Isabel teased them.

"I'll tell you two the truth." Kyle said seriously while the three girls shot him a death glare. "It's an elephant."

Everyone in the room laughed but Max and Liz. "This isn't funny, I'm in pain right now and no one will tell us what the baby is!" Liz yelled at them.

"You want to know the truth?" Maria asked her friend compassionately.

"No." Liz answered truthfully. "Why did you say an elephant?" Liz asked before a contraction gripped her.

"Because Isabel said the ears were just like Max's." Kyle replied before getting elbowed in the stomach by Candace. "I can't believe you did that to me, you joined their side."

Candace simply rolled her eyes before walking over to help the girls.

"Hey Mikey G, toss over some popcorn." Kyle said while walking over to Michael and his food.

"Wasn't he suppose to be helping us?" Max asked the four girls who in return just shrugged.

"Ok, Liz, you're fully dilated. We're gonna start pushing now." Isabel told Liz. Max started to stand up to take a breath and to try and heal his hand before Liz fully broke it.

"I don't think there's really a 'we' in this Isabel." Liz told her. "And you." She said to Max. "Stop standing there and be supportive, damn it!"

Maria bit her bottom lip to hide back her laughter, as everyone in the room each held back their silent laughter also.

"Ok, now push Liz." Isabel told her.

"I can't." Liz said through clenched teeth.

"Yes you can." Max told her soothingly.

"Would you like to drive?!" Liz yelled at him. "You know what, Maxwell Evans, if you come near me with a thirty foot pole I will personally see to it that you never have any children ever again." Liz yelled.

"Max this is normal, she's just in a lot of pain right now." Isabel tried to make her brother's insecurities go away.

"_'A lot of pain'_ is an understatement." Liz yelled.

"Come on Liz push." Isabel urged.

"Bear down Liz, bear down!" Maria told her, causing Liz to throw her a glare. But Liz couldn't finish her glare before she had to push.

Liz's hand was tightly squeezing Max's, as if straining all the life out of him. When Isabel gave Liz the green light to stop pushing she let her head rest on Max's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Liz said breathlessly.

"It's ok." Max told her as he wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"You want to drive?" She asked hopefully.

"Honey, as much as I would love too, I kind of can't." Max told her.

"Ok guys, time to push." Isabel broke their sort of happy moment.

"Ok, let's go." Max told her as he kissed her forehead.

Liz took Max's hand while Maria sat on Liz's right wiping her forehead. Candace walked back over to where Kyle and Michael were sitting.

"Remind me never to have children." Candace told him.

"Not a problem." He replied.

"One more push, come on you can do it." Isabel urged her.

"Max." Liz said as she began to push.

"Yeah." He said as he held her hand.

"We're never having sex again, ok." Liz said cheerily as she finished pushing.

Michael laughed and put another kernel of popcorn in his mouth.

"Ok Liz, one more push and it's all over, the head is crowned and ready, all you have to do is push." Isabel told her.

"Wait, it's crowned?" Maria asked excitedly before abandoning Liz and running to where Isabel sat. "Oh, it's so cute, a little slimy, but it's got brown hair." She said.

"Maria!" Liz yelled.

"Oh Chica, it looks just like you and Max." Maria told Liz.

"As opposed to all the other guys Liz was running around with." Isabel rolled her eyes. "Now can we push please?" Isabel asked Maria.

"I can't." Liz said laying her head back.

"Come on Liz, just one more." Max urged her.

"You do it." Liz told Max.

"Liz, I can't. I'm a guy, you're the girl. The baby's in you." Max told her. Liz rolled her eyes.

"Thanks Mr. States the Obvious!" Liz yelled at him before squeezing his hand harder than before.

Liz gave one last strong push. The sounds of her screaming were soon mingled with the sound of a baby's cries. When Liz finally stopped, she slumped against Max in relief. Max was even crying at the sight of his son. He was so perfect.

"We did it." He whispered to Liz as he kissed her forehead.

"It's a boy." Isabel said with a goofy grin on her face. "I'm an aunt."

Maria laid a bathroom towel on Liz's chest while Isabel cleaned the baby up. He was so tiny. Maria looked over at Michael while taking a deep breath, she saw that he was rubbing his eyes.

"That was so beautiful." Michael said as the bowl of popcorn sat unattended on the desk.

"Are you crying Spaceboy?" Maria laughed.

"No, my eyes are just watery." He defended himself.

"No, you're crying. That's so sweet." Maria said happily before hugging him.

Isabel walked back over to where Max and Liz sat holding each other.

"Time to meet the newest addition to the 'I-am-an-alien-club'." Isabel said as she placed the baby in Liz's arms.

"Oh." Liz cried. "He's perfect."

"Just like you." Max told his wife as he kissed his son's forehead.

"No wonder he was so hard to get out." Kyle observed.

"Why's that?" Maria asked with her arm still around Michael.

"Because he has Evans' ears." Kyle said before Max turned around to deliver a fake punch to Kyle and everyone laughed.

"What are you going to name him?" Candace asked as she came up from behind Kyle.

"I was kind of holding out for Claudia Diana." Liz admitted as she looked at her son.

"Yeah, that might get him made fun of at school." Michael said making everyone laugh.

"Whatever you do don't name him Braxton Hicks." Kyle said before laughing.

"That's not funny." Maria said while he and Liz laughed.

"Yeah, actually, it is." He said.

"No really, what are you going to name him?" Isabel asked.

"What was your dad's middle name?" Max asked Liz.

"David, why?" Liz replied while still looking at her son.

"How about David Jeffrey Evans?" Max asked.

"I like it." Liz said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Perfect." Max said before kissing Liz. "Thank you. You gave me a family that I really don't deserve. Thank you."

"Your welcome, and you deserve it." Liz said before kissing him.

They all smiled at the baby and each other. This was the first time they were all in the same room with each other, without fighting, since Liz, Maria, and Kyle left. It felt good, it felt really good. The baby looked up at everyone confused at who all these people were.

"Poor kid. Just look at him. Already he's wondering what planet Michael comes from." Kyle said seriously.

Max looked down at his wife, who was staring at her son. The perfect little combination of himself and Liz. Liz felt his eyes on her and looked up to meet his stare. She smiled at him while he mouthed the words 'I love you'. He smiled even wider when she mouthed back 'I love you.' Finally, they could be a family.

**A/N:** Just a little warning, I'm not going to be accepting anonymous reveiws for a little while. I can't really explain why, but it has something to do with what's going on right now in my personal life. Also, I might take a while to update the next chapter because I'm totally redoing them. To be frank, they were crap, this chapter was too so I spent half an hour on it before I gave up. I hope it wasn't wrose. Yeah that'd be funny, if I just deleted most of the chapter and rewrote everything to have it be worse. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Home Sweet Home_ -- The gang has to decide what to do when Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Candace have to go home. Ariel's talent show, and the gang discover that they might be in even bigger danger than before.


	27. Home Sweet Home

**__**

Part 27: Home Sweet Home

It had been two days since the baby had been born and the six old friends were now working through their problems. Michael and Maria were now on speaking terms and they each agreed to start over. They had all made mistakes in the past and it was pointless to hold grudges. What no one realized was that going home was inevitable, and they all ignored that fact.

"I just got off the phone with Amanda and she told me that Ariel is extremely distraught." Candace informed Kyle, Maria, and Liz who was holding baby Jeff.

"Wait, distraught? When have you ever used the word distraught?" Kyle asked his girlfriend.

"I don't, Ariel did." Candace said pointedly.

"She's been hanging around Amanda too long." Maria said as she made baby faces for the baby.

"The point is, she's mad that we aren't home." Candace saw the confused look on their faces. "Ok, I know with all that's been going on we've kind of lost track of the date, but think a little bit here. What is tomorrow?"

"I have no clue?" Kyle shrugged.

Maria stood up and walked over to Liz's desk and flipped through the calendar.

"The 16th?" Maria asked, not truly remembering it's significance.

"Ariel's talent show." Liz said while slapping her forehead with her free hand. "What are we gonna do?"

Kyle was about to suggest running again when Max, Isabel, and Michael came into the room.

"We have to get the van, we left it at the Avoca airport when we came here." Michael told them.

"We have to go home." Maria said bluntly. "One of our friends is in a talent show and we promised we would be there."

"A talent show? What is your friend, like five?" Isabel asked as she sat on the windowsill.

"Try nine, and she just stopped hating us so we don't want to get on her bad side." Liz informed them as Max took the sleeping baby from Liz's arms.

"We can all go with you, and then we continue going on the road." Michael offered.

"No, you see. We have a house, we have bills, we have jobs, we can't just run away from them." Maria said sharply, towards Michael.

"Oh, you can't run away from stuff you've only had for nine months but you can run away from the three of us which you have known for almost four years." Michael yelled at Maria.

"Guys stop it." Max commanded as his new born son began to whimper. Liz stood up and crossed to where he held David. No one really commented on how fast Max and Liz got back on track, it was as if they were never apart.

"Sorry it's just…" Michael apologized but was interrupted by Maria's phone.

"Sorry." She apologized before answering. "Hello?"

Maria pointed towards the open window and crawled through it once Isabel moved. The room was once again filled with silence.

"This is what we're going to do, Liz, Kyle, Maria, and Candace are going to go home. The three of us will follow. We have to make sure that there isn't a trace that we've been here, if the FBI can even track us to the airport we're gonna have problems." Max told everyone.

"Fine." Michael said reluctantly. "Problem solved."

Everyone nodded in agreement but was soon broken out of their short moment of safety.

"I hate to break it to you all but we have another problem. Russell wants to check out the baby when we get home." Maria told them as she crawled back through the window.

"Who's Russell?" Michael asked.

"Liz's doctor." Kyle informed him.

"And you're on a first name basis with Liz's doctor?" Michael asked.

"Only because she dated him." Kyle answered him.

"Thanks." Maria rolled her eyes.

"You dated Liz's doctor? What did you guys want to get a good deal on check ups?" Michael asked jealously.

"Can we please get back to the problem?" Max asked in more of a statement than a question. "We can't let him check David."

"Sure we can, we just can't let him take any blood." Isabel offered. "Liz got through the whole pregnancy without getting caught by the doctor's, now that we're all together we can definitely get past a lousy blood test."

"It's at times like these where I really miss Tess." Kyle said absent mindedly. Which only gained him stares from everyone in the room. "What, she could mind warp Russell into thinking that he got the blood test."

"Ok so that's one and a half problems solved. What about our parents?" Liz asked.

"God, I don't want to leave my mother again. Why are our lives so damned horrible?" Maria asked but no one had the answer.

* * *

"Ok, and you promise that you'll call when you get there?" Nancy asked one more time before finally releasing her daughter from a bear hug.

"I promise. I love you mom." Liz said before kissing her mother on the cheek.

"I love you too baby."

"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" Liz asked as she held her mother's shoulders.

"Honey, I can take care of myself. Besides, some quiet might do me some good." She gave Liz a half hearted smile. "You just take care of yourself and my grandson and I'll be out to see you this summer."

"Ok." Liz hugged her mother again before someone clearing their throat cut them short.

Liz turned to look at Max, who was holding their tiny son in his big strong arms. It was weird that this was happening, the first time they saw each other in months and it was only for three days. It wasn't fair, she married the prince, she had her son, wasn't she suppose to live happily ever after?

"Be careful, and call my cell phone as soon as you five land." He instructed her. She gave him a tearful nod.

His big strong free hand came up to cup her cheek. He didn't want her to leave either, _who thought of this stupid plan again?_

"You did." Kyle told him as he broke out of his step mother's hug. Max looked at Kyle confused. "I have powers too you know."

Maria laughed as she hugged her step father and then her mother before walking to where Candace stood by the gate.

"I love you." Liz whispered to Max as she hugged him tightly to her, temporarily forgetting that her son was sandwiched between them. David of course, made his presence known by giving a small whimper, breaking them apart.

"Sorry buddy, but you have to go to mommy now." Max kissed his son and then handed him over to Liz.

Isabel and Michael came up behind him as Liz backed away towards Kyle and Maria. Why was this so hard? They each waved good bye before they all boarded the plane headed for Old Forge.

* * *

Liz stepped off the plane holding the baby carrier. Kyle and Candace were holding hands while Maria was on her cell phone. She had jumped on it as soon as the captain told everyone it was ok to use cell phones. She was calling her mother and Valenti to let them know that they landed all right. Liz found a seat and put the baby down. He had been sleeping ever since they left Roswell.

"Where's Amanda? She drove us here." Maria asked as they all put their bags down.

"Hey!" They heard Amanda's voice throughout the terminal. "Guys! Oh my God, look at you."

"Yeah, I'm skinny again." Liz said as she showed off David.

"He's adorable. Ok, we have half an hour to get all of you home and dressed before this talent fiesta takes place, got it, good." Amanda spoke fast to them all.

"Well, apparently someone's very hyper." Maria observed as she hugged Amanda.

"Come on, we can't keep the prima Donna waiting." Amanda said as they walked towards the luggage carrousel.

* * *

Amanda led the four of them (Plus Baby) into the auditorium and straight to the seats that the whole family had reserved. Liz sat next to Zira, and placed David on her lap. He was sleeping so she was sure he wouldn't cause a fuss. Kyle and Candace sat side by side next to Jim and Debbie while Maria sat on the other side of Liz. They quickly forgot their problems as the curtain rose and the little kids came out and did their skits. Liz knew that they were all biased but Ariel was the best one out there. She told jokes, and not just any jokes, she told jokes about her family.

"How many of you have those big family gatherings every holiday?" She asked the audience. "My family, we get together every Sunday. Talk about chaos, you think your biggest problem is your family. Well, you haven't sat down to eat with the Williams'. You have my mother who is always making the Jell-O Easter eggs, even when it isn't even Easter." The crowd laughed. "Then, you have my cousins, Frick and Frack." The audience laughed again. "You have Candace who acts like the youngest and the Amanda who acts like the oldest. Seriously, Candace is the oldest, she can talk a mile a minute and act like she's five. But then you've got Amanda, the middle grandchild as I like to call her, the mediator. She's really not like a mediator, she and I don't really get along. You'd never be able to tell by all the times she taught me how to 'swim' under water or gotten me over my fear of the dark." The audience laughed again. "Now my aunt and uncle on the other hand are the definition of cute. They cuddle and smile, and hold hands. It's enough to make you want to gag. They've been married for like forever and they still don't get enough of each other. God bless em." The audience laughed again and the entire row with whom Ariel was talking about was laughing also.

"Now, who has relatives that aren't really relatives? I do. I have Nicky, Vanessa, and Kathleen. They came to the dear old town of Old Forge one night and by the large assumption that my grandmother is nosey, they managed to finangle their way into out lives. I hated them of course, but they soon melted the ice. Nice people, lots of secrets." Ariel said with a wink.

Liz leaned over to Amanda and whispered to her."Where did she come up with this stuff?"

"Me." Amanda said proudly.

"Have you ever met anyone with enough secrets to be the government? They put up enough red flags to make you think you're in a Russian airport." The audience laughed again. "But let's get serious. Nicky and my cousin Candace are dating. Nice solid foundation they're building. I wonder how many phone calls she leaves on his machine every night. 'Nicky, It's Candace, just wondering what you're doing.' 'Nicky, it's me again! Just wondering if you were doing anything since the last time I called you, five seconds ago.' Obsessive much." The audience roared with laughter. "Now, before I leave there are still two very important parts of my family that I have not mentioned. My grandmother and grandfather. My grandfather's your normal average Joe, doesn't get on anyone's bad side, keeps his mouth shut. I think that's what makes his relationship with my grams work so well. She says it all and he sits back and watches." The audience laughed. "Now my grandmother is your average everyday Italian. She likes food, and she likes to talk. Perfect combination. She's the icing on the whole big canola we call our family." The crowd laughed again. "But of course, no matter how twisted and hysterical my family may be we're still great fun and if you need a wonderful pick me up you can always come over for a nice Italian meal. Just ask Nicky." Ariel said before everyone applauded and cheered her on.

Kyle stood up and clapped.

"She was amazing. Can she be my cousin?!" He asked with excitement.

"No such luck, she's all mine." Amanda said proudly as they waited for the next act to come on.

* * *

Liz unlocked the front door and walked in with David in his carryon. Maria was on her cell with Russell and Kyle and Candace were currently making out on the front porch. Soon, Zira, Jim, Anne, Ariel, Jimmy, and Debbie all entered the house and sat in the living room.

"You were awesome." Liz told Ariel as she put the baby in his crib.

"Thanks. So, your dad died huh?" Ariel asked sadly.

"Yeah." Liz whispered before wiping away a stray tear.

"I'm sorry." Ariel said as she took Liz's hand.

"Thanks kiddo." Liz told her before Ariel left the room.

* * *

Liz sat at her kitchen table staring down at the sheets of paper in front of her. Taxes. She never thought about any of this until just recently, how were they getting taxes? Maria never gave out her social security number to her employers, she always found a way to dance around that. Getting paid under the table helped too. Liz got paid under the table also, she didn't have to fill out an application or anything, her manager was so stressed out that he didn't even ask for one, he just hired her.

"Hey, what's so interesting about that paper?" Kyle asked happily as he entered the kitchen.

"This is our taxes." She picked up the paper. Kyle poured himself a glass of soda as he looked at the paper. "We shouldn't be getting taxes Kyle."

"Oh because of the social security thing." He said in understanding. "I gave mine to Keystone." Kyle named his employers. "Yeah, they were really strict, they had to send my application to corporate and everything."

"Kyle, the FBI could pick up our Social Security numbers. They could've been watching us this whole entire time!" Liz yelled. "You blamed me for being irresponsible when I bought the car but that wasn't really the problem was it. You had already led them straight to us!"

"Guys, you're gonna wake up the baby, why all the yelling?" Maria asked as she entered the room.

"The FBI knows where we are." Kyle swallowed. Maria sat down in a chair in shock.

"What do we do?"

"I called Max, he said to sit tight, they'll be here in the morning." Liz told them. "If we're not dead by then."

**A/N:** Hey all, sorry for the delay. I know this chapter was a little out of it, I've kind of been hitting a block. I don't exactly know when I'll be able to post the next chapter because I kind of deleted it. I have to rewrite it and then find time to post it. I once again apologize for my unorganization. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Trouble -- _The gang tries to outsmart the FBI and hopefully get their lives back. Meanwhile Kyle makes a very promising proposal to Candace.


	28. Trouble!

**__**

Part 28: Trouble!!

"Where are they? They should be here by now." Kyle paced the living room floor. They were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Max, Michael, and Isabel.

Maria sat on the chair staring out the window, watching for their arrival, while Liz sat on the couch holding David, also waiting. How could this be happening? After they had gotten home from Ariel's talent show Liz had started going through the mail. That was when it hit her, taxes, they shouldn't be getting them. She immediately called Max's cell phone and told him, he said to hold tight, that they would be there soon. Now they were waiting in their living room, their home. This place use to feel so safe, now it felt so dirty, and tainted. Anyone could be watching, anyone could be listening.

A knock on the door startled the three out of their silence.

"I'll get it." Maria said before standing up and turning to the door.

Liz held David a little tighter, for fear that it might not be them, even though the van was outside. She unknowingly held her breath as Maria twisted the door knob to let in Max, Michael, and Isabel. Maria opened the door a crack and was relieved to find the three people that they were waiting for.

"Honey I'm home." Michael said dryly before entering the small house.

"Thank God you guys are here, what took you so long?" Kyle asked emphatically as he paced steadily around the room.

"Kyle would you cut it out, you're giving me a headache!" Maria almost yelled as Isabel and Max entered the house.

Kyle looked down at the carpet and stopped pacing. He looked back up to find Maria hugging Michael and Max hugging Liz and David. Isabel awkwardly stood by herself.

"Wanna hug?" He asked, which got him a smile.

"Ok, let's get down to business. FBI knows where you are?" Michael asked, not letting go of Maria.

"Yeah." Liz nodded but stayed firmly planted in Max's arms.

"Ok, here's a solution, we run. Simple, affordable, I don't really see a down fall to that plan."

As Liz was about to speak out against it Max squeezed her shoulder and began to address everyone.

"We're not running anymore. Look at us, every time we have a problem we run away, we need to start facing our demons."

"I hope you're not talking about what the three of us did, because we had reason." Kyle pointed out to Max.

"I'm not just talking about that, I'm talking about graduation, Sheriff Valenti, the past four years." Max said. "We need to take our lives back."

"How do you propose we do that?" Isabel asked while sitting on the couch.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead." Max looked at them guiltily.

"So we run till we think of something." Michael provided.

"Michael where have you been? It's not just the six of us anymore, what about David?" Liz asked, even though she knew what her own answer would be. She was not giving up her son.

"She's right, we've put our lives on hold for long enough." Isabel told them all while relaxing on the couch. "I gave up my husband, my life, now I want it back. We all deserve to get out lives back."

"How exactly are we going to do that? If you haven't noticed our options and resources are limited." Maria pointed out as she sat on the chair.

"I think I have an idea." Liz announced.

* * *

"Wait, how much trouble are you guys in?" Amanda asked as she held a bottle of water in her right hand and the cordless phone in her left.

They were now at Amanda's house, to discuss this problem with her too. After all, she was apart of this now. Michael sat on one of the counters while Kyle stood by the back door. Liz and Max each took up two seats at the kitchen table, while Isabel and Maria stood near the stove.

"A lot, and I'd prefer if you didn't tell your sister because being killed by the FBI is one thing but being nagged to death by her is another." Kyle told her but only got a shake of her head.

"The FBI will kill us if they get us." Liz told her. "And you're apart of this too."

"Well, isn't this just…peachy." Amanda closed her eyes before putting the phone down on the table. Maria looked at Isabel who was staring at the young girl who was currently rubbing her temples. "So I'm guessing I'm gonna have to cancel my twirling lesson?" Liz looked sadly at the girl.

"We're sorry, we didn't want to bring you into this." Max apologized to her.

"It's ok, it's just fine." Amanda gave them a false smile.

Amanda turned to leave the room to cancel her twirling lessen while Michael addressed the group in a low whisper.

"What exactly is she suppose to do for us? She's even more of a target than us, she can't protect herself."

"She's our friend, and she's been with us through all of this, so just please, just cut her some slack." Maria told Michael.

"Ok, twirling is cancelled for today, mom is at work with Candace, Dad is at the station lifting…"

"Damn!" Kyle cursed in the corner.

"What?" Max asked nervously.

"I was suppose to walk the dog." He said.

"What dog?" Michael asked.

"The fire department's dog, oh man, Walter's gonna kill me."

"Not if the FBI gets you first. Now I have a plan." Amanda said with a smile.

"What kind of plan?" Isabel asked from her spot.

"The kind that you may not like."

* * *

"Rob just please do this for me." Amanda pleaded with the black haired boy in her living room.

"Just what are these people dragging you into?" Her friend asked with concern in his voice.

"I can't really tell you, I just need your help." Rob looked around the room at the strangers, doubtful. "Please."

After much thought the boy finally looked Amanda square in the eye.

"What do I have to do?" Amanda gave him a large smile and looked at the other six members of the group.

"We need you to hack into the FBI." She said seriously, but with excitement.

Rob looked at her like she had grown a second head. "What?"

"I think you heard her the first time." Michael said gruffly from the couch.

"Why would you think that I could do this?" He asked Amanda, clearly ignoring Michael.

"I've seen you do this a million times on the school's computer."  
  
"That was totally different!" Rob exclaimed. Amanda put her hands on her hips and stared at Rob. "Ok, it was a little different." Amanda raised her eyebrows. "It was only two grades, and if I do recall correctly you and Dee also had some grades changed."

"Rob it'll be just like that."

"No, it won't. The FBI is not Old Forge High School, where the stupid people go. Amanda, what you're asking me to do is illegal…"

"And breaking into the school's records aren't?" Kyle questioned.

Rob exhaled and looked at the other six people for really the first time.

"I can't just hack into the FBI, I'm only a novice, experienced hackers can't even get in."

"Rob please…" Amanda couldn't get anymore out before Rob was storming out of the front door. "Give me one second." She motioned to the group before following.

The six friends sat in silence for a minute before anyone dared speak.

"Did anyone else think that Rob looks familiar?" Maria asked.

"Oh thank God I'm not the only one." Kyle exclaimed.

"He looks just like him doesn't he?" Maria asked him. Everyone else seemed to be lost.

"The ears are what did it for me, the ears and the nose." Kyle told her surely.

Maria looked at her step-brother curiously. "What are you talking about?"

"He looks like Mickey Mouse!" Kyle exclaimed. Liz, Max, Isabel, and Michael each started laughing. "What?"

"He looks like Alex." Maria stared at Kyle unblinkingly.

Kyle mouthed an 'O' and nodded his head. Maria shook her head and rolled her eyes before turning to the rest of the group.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Michael asked Max.

"We don't really have a choice."

"Amanda could hack into the FBI for us." Isabel offered.

"No, the girl can barely surf the web without screwing up her computer." Maria told them.

Michael, Max, and Isabel looked confused. How could they be trashing one of their 'best' friends?

"She's right. The girl's sweet and all, don't get me wrong, but she's not the brightest light bulb in the pack." Kyle agreed.

Before anyone could anything Amanda ran into the room triumphantly.

"He's gonna do it!" She yelled.

* * *

Kyle waited on the front steps of the younger Williams' house, he had stayed after everyone had gone home. He wanted to talk to Candace, he needed to get this off his chest. He just wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. What would her answer be? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. This was a huge step for him and he was seriously nervous about it all.

"Hey you." Candace said sweetly as she came outside to sit with Kyle on the steps. "Amanda said you had something to talk to me about."

"Yeah." He nodded his head. "I want to marry you." He said once he finally broke his gaze away from the empty road.

"What?" Candace asked with wide eyes.

Kyle didn't know if she wanted him to repeat the question or if she was just in shock, but he guessed from her wide eyes that she was just in shock.

"I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, and the thought of loosing you is enough to keep me up at night. I want to be with you forever, I want you to be my wife. Please say yes." Kyle would have gotten down on one knee but he was frozen in his spot, waiting for her answer.

"I…" Candace looked at Kyle teary eyed. "Yes, yes I will marry you." She cried as Kyle pulled her into a hug.

Kyle hugged Candace close to him as both cried, he looked up at the stars and said a little thank you to the man upstairs.

**A/N:** I hope everyone liked this part, it took me forever to write. Just a side note, Rob does not know the big secret, yet. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **The Plan In Action_ -- Everyone bands together to take their lives back, Isabel must make a heartbreaking decision, and one of the Williams' go missing.


	29. The Plan in Action

**A/N:** Thank you to the one person who gave me feedback. I really hope that all of you who have been reading my story haven't just given up. Because I'm back. Now a little **warning,** I'm better at building up to an event than the actual dealing with it. So forgive me for the poorly written chapter. I had hoped that it would turn out better, so please forgive me and don't throw tomatoes, you'll just make your computer sticky.

**__**

Part 29: The Plan in Action

Rob sat at a flat panel computer in his house with Amanda sitting next to him, they knew that it was risky to do this on his computer and that they should probably go somewhere else but they needed to see if they could get in first.

"All right, I just have to reset the password and then we have to get off fast." Rob told Amanda.

"Why?" She asked confused.

"Because once we get through the first firewall everything else will be cake. Once we reset the password, they'll be alerted to a breach and that would be bad. We'll reset it and then get off."

"Won't they still know where we are?" Amanda asked but he only shook his head. "What?"

"Who ever thought that you and me would be hacking into the FBI?" He asked with a laugh but never took his eyes off the computer.

"Definitely not me." She rolled her eyes.

"You keep on ignoring it." Rob said cryptically.

"What's that?"

"Ever since Dee…ever since she died, you and I haven't really talked." Rob told her, only glancing at her quickly.

"Yeah." Amanda said while wiping her already wet eyes.

"I miss her too you know." Amanda looked at him, he was also crying. "Sometimes I'll just sit in my room and think about how we use to go shopping and I'd have to carry all your bags because Dee always said…"

"Celebrities don't carry their own bags, especially when they have their bodyguards with them." Amanda finished with a sad smile.

Rob smiled also, and turned back to the computer. Amanda couldn't help but feel cheated out of being with one of her best friends. Dee wanted to be famous, she wanted to act, sing, everything. She would have made it too, she was so close. Now she would never make it, because she was dead. Now, Amanda only had Rob and Rob only had her.

"Ok, we're in…and now we're…out." He said as he changed the password and then deleted the whole program.

"Why'd you just delete?! It took us hours of sitting here and in one second you just delete it?!" Amanda almost yelled.

"I couldn't leave the program on the computer, it could be traced." Rob reasoned. "All right, we'll set up a position out of the area, or else it'll be too close to track us."

Amanda nodded her head and then looked down at the crumpled paper on Rob's school notebook. An idea sprung to her head.

"I have an idea."

"Oh great, that usually means that I'm gonna be grounded for two months, three if it's really good."

"Shut up you idiot." Amanda slapped his head. "You see this piece of paper?" Rob nodded. "It's our permission slip to New York for our field trip. Why don't we _'accidentally'_ get separated from the group and wander into one of those cyber caf's where we will run the program there?"

"I like that idea, and we can say that we tried to find our group but we just got lost."

"And we won't get into any trouble because we were too scared, so scared that we start to cry when they find us."

"I love how our minds work." Rob smiled.

* * *

Maria sat at her kitchen table holding the paper's in her hands that held their social security numbers. If this plan worked, they would all be free from the FBI and they would be able to be themselves. Liz and Max were still sleeping, they weren't getting much sleep lately with David. Michael and Isabel were doing their part of the plan, and Kyle and Candace were looking for an apartment for after they got married. Maria still couldn't get her mind around the fact that Kyle was getting married before her.

As Maria was thinking the phone rang, which she picked up. She was happy that it was Amanda on the other end.

"We just separated from the group, we should be at the café in less than five minutes." Maria heard her say.

"Good I'll tell Michael." Maria told her before hanging up. She quickly dialed the number of Isabel's cell phone and was greeted by Michael's voice. "Hey, they just separated."

"All right, call us when they get there." Michael then hung up.

She sure hoped this plan would work.

* * *

Five minutes later Michael and Isabel sat in an office in Boston. This was their job, to make sure that their lawyer got their message to the FBI. It didn't matter that it had been months since they had last seen each other, they were still friends and this would work.

"Mr. Ramirez will see you now." The young red headed secretary told both Michael and Isabel.

Isabel couldn't help but feel jealous of the girl, she got to see _her _husband everyday. It just wasn't fair. Isabel glanced at Michael before they followed the secretary into Jesse's office. Before they entered they could hear him on the phone, his voice. Isabel felt her knees get weak just at the sound of him, she missed him so much.

"Mr. Ramirez, your twelve o'clock is here." The red head told Jesse. He waved his hand at her to signal that he had heard her and she left the room. Michael and Isabel both stood by the large oak door waiting for Jesse to get off the phone.

Once he did he looked at the paper's in front of him, not looking up at all while he spoke to them.

"Ms. Alexander and Dr…Love is it?" He asked. Michael had to stifle a laugh at their Vegas names.

"You can just call us Isabel and Michael." Michael told him.

At the mention of their real names Jesse's head shot up. To say he was surprised was an understatement. Isabel could have sworn that he was going to faint.

"Hey." Isabel said with a large smile on her face.

"What are you two doing here?" Jesse asked in a low whisper. "What if the FBI is following you?"

"Nice to see you too." Michael said sarcastically as he sat down in one of the brown leather chairs across from Jesse.

"We need your help." Isabel spoke up.

"Yeah, we need you to send a letter for us." Michael told him as he handed over the manila envelope to the very confused lawyer.

"Ok, slow down. What are you two doing here? Where are Max, Liz, Maria, and Kyle? Who am I sending this letter too?" Jesse asked quickly.

"Whoa, slow down. We need your help, you see we're taking back our lives and to do that we need you to mail that letter and a video tape to the FBI for us. Max, Liz, Maria, and Kyle are in Pennsylvania working on the plan too." Michael informed him.

"Why are you guys sending a letter to the FBI?" Jesse asked confused.

"Well, we're not inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner if that's what you're getting at." Michael's sarcasm won out.

"Like Michael said, we're taking our lives back." Isabel said as she sat down.

"Ok, but as your friend and husband." He said to them. "I have to ask, what's in the letter and videotape?"

"It's confidential, but it's really important that you send it." Michael told him.

"Why?"  
  
"We talked this through and we all decided that having someone in a field that deals with the law, send the letter would be best. You have power and prestige, where we only have three humans with dead end jobs."

"I need to know what's in the letter." Jesse said as he stood up.

"We're basically telling the FBI that they have no files on us whatsoever." Isabel said. "As we speak their files on us are being deleted, and replaced with bogus ones. We also enclosed a signed document that our blood tested normal, no alien cells at all."

"How is all that possible?" Jesse asked.

"We figured out a way to manipulate our blood once it was out of our body." Michael continued. "It looks human and it will pass any test that they do on it. So basically, every thing they have on us will mean nothing."

"What about the tape your mother made of you?" Jesse asked Isabel.

"Taken care of. Let's just say we have some guardian angels in high places." Michael smiled.

* * *

"Are you in?" Amanda asked Rob eagerly.

"Yep, and password has been changed. We have six minutes to delete all the files you want before we get hammered with men in suits." Rob told her as he pushed away from the computer.

Amanda turned her full attention to the computer which now held all government files. She quickly scanned all the files that she could find that pertained to Roswell, the year 1947, and anything marked confidential. All evidence that was stored in the files were then deleted. Now they just had to wait.

* * *

****

One Week Later.

Maria sat with Liz and Kyle at their kitchen table. Liz was feeding David while Kyle was looking through a bridal magazine that Candace had given him. Maria however sat staring off into nothingness. It was three o'clock in the morning and none of them could sleep. It was also raining which didn't help Kyle's sleeping arrangements. He had left Michael in the basement when he first heard the thunder. Isabel was sleeping on the couch while Max slept in his and Liz's room.

After that day one week ago things had been extraordinarily quiet. Too quiet as Kyle would say, but nothing had been heard from the FBI, not even Jesse, which worried Isabel constantly. She couldn't eat, sleep, or practically walk, she had to know what was going on and he still hadn't called. As the three friends were sitting, just relaxing in the kitchen, the power suddenly went out just as they heard knocking on the front door.

"If this isn't the makings of a great horror film then I don't know what is." Kyle muttered as he got up to answer the door.

As he walked into the living room he saw Isabel sitting on the couch fully awake. Max was exiting his room when Kyle was turning the handle, Liz and Maria were both standing in the kitchen doorway, watching. As if to prolong the suspense Kyle looked back at everyone one last time and gulped. Everyone was unknowingly shaking, everyone but Liz. She knew that Kyle could read thoughts and the fact that he wasn't running for the hills at that moment was a good sign.

Finally the door opened to reveal a rain soaked Jesse Ramirez.

"Jesse?!" Isabel squealed as she jumped off the couch and ran to him.

"Nice of you to drop by at three in the morning." Kyle greeted him too chipper for anyone's liking.

"What are you doing here?" Isabel asked as she pulled him into a firm embrace.

"Well, I had really good news for you guys." He started but Kyle cut him off.

"You just saved a bunch of money on your car insurance by switching to Geicho?!" He said sarcastically but only got a slap to the back of his head by Maria.

"No, even better. The FBI has agreed to drop their investigation into you guys. They researched heavily into all your backgrounds and what they found, was to say the least, surprising." He told them all with a smile. "Your computer geniuses worked wonders and now they are not only sending you all apologies in the mail but also money to cover you all for at least three whole years."

"Yeah well in baby time that is three months." Liz deadpanned.

"You're free!" Jesse said excitedly as he hugged Isabel tighter.

Max crossed to where Liz stood holding David and hugged her close to him. Kyle turned to Maria and pulled her into a hug.

"Valenti!" They all stopped mid hug when they heard Michael's voice echo throughout the house.

They all turned to see Michael entering the living room drenched. Liz and Maria instantly started laughing.

"I'm guessing we flooded again." Kyle looked at both girls.

* * *

Now that the FBI was out of their way the group felt free to go on with life as usual. It was weird that three years of running ended in one week. It just seemed too surreal, they couldn't believe it at first, but when Amanda told them that she and Rob also readjusted the files they understood. The files now said that Max, Isabel, and Michael were originally living with their grandparents in Florida after their parents died in a fire. They were kidnapped at the age of six but were dumped in the desert when they became too much for the kidnapper to handle. They now understood that Amanda had family in Florida, Max, Michael, and Isabel's supposed grandparents. Yes life seemed to be going back to normal, well what was normal for the six of them anyway.

Jesse had asked Isabel to move to Boston with him, and continue their marriage, but she didn't want to leave her family just yet, now that she had gotten them back. Jesse was going to stay with her but had work that needed completing so instead he agreed to give her all the time that she needed, and left the next morning for Boston. Everyone was happy and safe, what more could they ask for?

"Ok, David, look at the camera buddy." Max cooed to his son as Liz held him in her arms. "Smile for the camera."

"Max." Liz smiled at him. David was asleep but that didn't matter to Max. Any and every photo opportunity he could get he took.

"Liz, I just want to capture every moment with him." Max defended himself.

"I'm not saying anything." She smiled at him as she placed David in the crib. "But do you think you could let him sleep in peace? I mean if he wakes up, you're the one who's gonna have breast feed him ok?"

"I'll give the camera a rest for now." Max put the camera down and pulled his wife into his arms. It felt so good to be home and to be with his wife and son. It just felt right.

They both left the room and entered the living room where toys stayed spewed all over the floor. Ariel had stayed with them for a while that day and played with the very inactive David. She didn't mind really, it just gave her something to do on a boring Saturday when her mom had work. Liz and Max both began to pick up the toys in silence when Liz got a flash.

Ariel was being pushed to the ground by a tall man. She couldn't get a good look at the man, it was too dark. She only saw him pick up a screaming Ariel and hit her over the head to shut her up before throwing her into his car. Liz could feel Ariel's fear of the man, she knew him and she was terrified of him.

Liz's vision became clearer as she saw Max hovering nearby, she probably lost her balance when she got the flash. He was concerned for her as she began to reenter reality.

"What did you see?" He asked her as he cautiously helped her up.

"Ariel's going to be kidnapped."

**A/N: R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter:** These Moments_ -- Ariel is kidnapped by her worst nightmare, Amanda blames herself, and Candace is keeping a secret.


	30. These Moments

**__**

Part 30: These Moments

"No answer at Anne's, Zira's, or Amanda's." Maria said as she walked into the living room where everyone was centered.

"Well, Zira's probably at the nursing home, she probably has Ariel with her." Kyle tried to reason.

"So what? Should we just sit around and wait for this lunatic to take her?" Liz asked.

"No that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that we don't know a definite timeframe in your vision, Ariel could be kidnapped months from now."

"Then why did I get it now?!" Liz snapped at him.

At that point Max stood up to play mediator. "Let's settle down, did you try Amanda's cell phone?"

"I only got her voicemail." Maria said defeatedly.

"What's the plan?" Michael asked as he put his arm around Maria's shoulder.

"We sit tight and try not to panic." Max told them while sitting down next to Liz.

"She was so scared." Liz cried as she buried her face in Max's chest.

Isabel stood next to the wall, looking out the window. Kyle sat on the floor next to the TV, while Maria and Michael sat in the chair. They all sat in silence, fearing to speak, but everyone noticed Isabel stiffen.

"Amanda's here." She announced before Amanda opened the door.

"Have you guys seen Ariel?" She asked with worry written all over her face.

Liz looked up at Max, this couldn't be happening, but it was.

* * *

Amanda sat on her grandmother's front porch crying. After Liz, Max, Michael, Maria, Isabel, and Kyle revealed to her that Ariel was kidnapped, Amanda got a call on her cell phone. Her aunt was calling her to tell her that Ariel had been taken by her father. Amanda blamed herself, she was suppose to be watching Ariel, but she let her anger with the child get the best of her. Now her baby cousin was in the hands of the man who Ariel feared most. All the monsters that hid underneath her bed and in her closet as a child, wore his face.

The family grouped together fast, the police were called and John's little message on Anne's answering machine was being analyzed. They could only wait now. Amanda couldn't face her family, she knew that they blamed her. She just took her eyes off Ariel for one minute. But one minute was all it took.

"Hey." The gruff Michael came to sit beside Amanda on the porch.

"It's all my fault that she's gone." Amanda admitted tearfully.

Michael barely knew this girl, but from the stories that Maria, Liz, and Kyle told them all, she was one of their best friends. It took him a while to trust Liz, Maria, Alex, and Kyle so it was hard for him to trust this stranger, even so, he was the one who volunteered to talk to her. Now as the silence between them grew Michael did something uncharacteristic, he put his arm around her shoulder. But what surprised him more was when she let her head lean on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault." He told her awkwardly.

"Isn't it?" She cried.

Michael tightened his arm around her shoulder as she cried into it. Somehow his awkward half hug turned into a real hug. He didn't know this girl, but somehow he felt that he did, that she needed him. So he held on, he kept holding her while she cried. There would be time to be stone-walled later.

* * *

"Are you ok?" Kyle asked as he wrapped his arms around Candace's waist.

"No." She shook her head sadly. "Can you just…just hold me?"

"Of course." He told her as she twisted in his arms to face him. She let her head rest on his chest as she cried.

They had to get Ariel back, they just had too.

* * *

Maria sat in her room with Isabel, looking at the picture Amanda had given her of Ariel. Liz and Max were over with the Williams', trying to help as much as possible, Kyle was taking care of Candace, and Michael was, believe it or not, taking care of the very distressed Amanda. Maria couldn't help but think that he was growing up after all.

Now she sat with Isabel who was ready to dream walk Ariel. If Isabel could get in they could find out where she was, if she was ok, it would give them an in to save her.

"You ready?" Maria asked her blonde friend.

"Yeah." Isabel shakily nodded. This had to work.

* * *

It was dark and dirty. The dampness of the warehouse filled the atmosphere, it was no suitable place to keep a child. She sat in the corner of the room, crying. Her knees were huddled up to her chest where her head rested. Her own living hell, that's what this place was. The man sat in the corner directly opposite of her, just watching her. He was tall, balding, and gave off an air of being very snakelike.

"Ariel?" Isabel whispered the little girl's name. Ariel sniffled and then looked up, to say she was shocked to see Isabel would be an understatement. "Ariel, sweetheart, I need you to tell me where you are."

"Who are you?" Ariel asked. Her face was dirty, and she had a cut on her forehead. Her hair was messy and unkempt, and she looked like she was ready to give up the little bit of strength she had.

"I'm a dream sweetie, but I need you to tell me where you are." Isabel bent over to become eyelevel with the ten year old.

"Are you an angel?" Ariel's eyes were glossed over, she was obviously drugged, or she was just too out of it.

"Honey where are you?" Isabel once again tried.

"Are you here to take me home?" Ariel asked. Her voice was weak, and she looked smaller than usual.

"I need you to tell me where you are first, so I can come and get you." Isabel decided that maybe she should try another way to get it out of Ariel.

"He won't let me leave." Ariel shuddered as she mentioned her father.

"Why?"

"He says that he loves me, and my mommy was wrong to stop him from seeing me." Ariel cried. "I miss my mommy."

"I know sweetie, and I will take you to her…"

"Now!?" Ariel asked with urgency.

"No, when I come for you, but you have to tell me where you are." Isabel once again tried to find out.

"But if you come to get me then won't you take me to heaven?" Ariel asked confused.

"No, I'll take you to your mommy, but Ariel you have to give me a sign, where did he take you?" Isabel could feel the dream walk slipping, it was now or she would have to come back later.

"People died here, they were sick. Amanda told me about it once." Ariel tried to tell Isabel before she disappeared.

* * *

Isabel jerked upright in the bed, gasping for breath. She barely registered Maria handing her a glass of water.

"Where is she?" Maria asked outright.

"A place where people died…" Isabel gulped down the water.

"He took her to a cemetery, that's kind of morbid."

"No, people were sick, maybe an old hospital, or I don't know…wait she said that Amanda told her about it once." Isabel jumped off the bed. "Where are Amanda and Michael?"

"Over on the front porch…" As Maria said that Isabel bolted out of the room. "Isabel wait for me."

* * *

Michael sat next to the silent Amanda, ever since she broke down she hadn't said a word. He felt for the girl, she had gone through most of her life feeling secondary to her cousin, and now her cousin was missing, which made her feel that it was all her fault.

"Amanda!" They both turned their heads to see Isabel and Maria running towards them.

"Did you have any luck?" Michael asked, but kept his arm around Amanda's shoulders.

"Yeah, she seems to think that she's in someplace where people died, they were sick, she told me that you," Isabel looked at Amanda. "told her about it. Do you have any idea where that would be?"

Amanda shook her head sadly. "I told her a lot, it's hard to just pinpoint one story." As soon as the words left her mouth she felt sadder than she had before. Michael pulled her into his arms again and stroked her hair.

Maria looked sadly at the girl, on any other occasion she would feel jealous, but Michael was just trying to help. Isabel looked at Maria, now feeling defeated. They were now back to square one.

"Wait!" Amanda broke out of the hug. "The old Polio house in dark regions." She blurted out. "It was this house that use to be a place where people with Polio would go in the seventies. It was shut down years ago."

"Why would he take her there?" Maria asked no one in particular.

"My guess because it's supposed to be haunted. No one has gone up there since last summer." Amanda told them as she wiped her eyes.

"What happened last summer?" Michael asked.

"There's a well up there and kids would go up there and pretend it was the well from _The Ring_. They would go down so far and then crawl out, and one of their friends would catch it on tape." Amanda told them. "Last summer when one of the kids were trying it, they lost their hold and they fell. No one's been up there since."

"Ok, so, Max, Kyle, and I will check out this place and if she's there we'll bring her back." Michael told them.

"You're not going up there without me." Amanda told him.

"Amanda it's too dangerous." Isabel told the girl. "But Liz and I will go too. We have powers too you know."

As Michael began to argue Liz, Max, and Kyle came out onto the porch.

"Liz just had another vision." Max announced.

"What did you see?" Maria asked.

"Ariel's gonna die if we don't find her soon." Liz's voice came out as no more than a whisper.

**A/N:** Here you all go. Thank you for all the remendous feedback. If the parts start to seem a little rushed or slow or sloppy tell me so I can fix them. I kind of put this fic on the backburner for a little while because I'm writing my best friend a book. Yeah I know, as weird as it may sound it may work, because she doesn't read alot so I'm trying to get her into reading more. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **A Little Hope_ -- Max, Michael, Liz, and Isabel try to get Ariel to safety. Kyle knows that Candace is hiding something from him.


	31. A Little Hope

**_A/N:_**I've stumbled into a bit of a writers block when I wrote this part. I'm just now getting out so if this chapter is less than good don't be afraid to tell me and please be patient.

**_Part 31: A Little Hope_**

"Ok, so we're all clear on the plan?" Max asked them as they sat in the blue ford focus. Max had driven the four of them to the polio house in dark regions.

"Yeah, you and Michael take out John while Liz and I get Ariel." Isabel confirmed as she leaned up to the front seat.

The four of them were dressed in all black, just like they were when they broke into Meta-chem, they just hoped that this expenditure didn't end the same way.

Getting out of the car they heard another car approaching in the distance. Max signaled for everyone to duck behind the hidden car. Maybe Amanda told the police to check this place out. Michael and Max held their hands out, ready to blast the person if need be, but they didn't have too. A red Jeep liberty pulled up behind the ford focus, and Amanda jumped out.

"What are you doing here?!" Liz scolded the girl in a hushed whisper.

"That's my cousin in there." Amanda pointed to the building. "I'm not gonna let her down again."

"Yeah well if you get killed you're not exactly helping her either." Isabel whispered sarcastically.

"Get back in your car and go home." Michael commanded.

"You're not the boss of me." Amanda challenged him. Michael simply turned to Max with a frown on his face.

"Leave, now, before you get hurt." Max told her.

"Listen, buddy, you're not the king of me. If I want to help save my cousin then that's what I'm gonna do." She stood up to Max. "Besides, how are you going to explain saving Ariel? You just got the FBI off your backs, do you really want them back on your tails? Rob and I can only hack into their database so many times."

"Amanda, it's too dangerous." Liz told her calmly.

"I don't care." Amanda spelled out for them. They were not going to make her do otherwise.

"You stay outside, and when Ariel comes out you get her to a safe place." Max told her before turning to go into the building.

"You and I are going to have a long talk when we're done here." Michael said pointedly to her before following Max.

"Whatever." Amanda mumbled as Isabel and Liz followed the two guys.

* * *

Candace sat on the porch with Kyle and Maria with her cell phone in hand, waiting for Amanda to call her. They knew instantly after they let her go that it was a mistake. She could be hurt, or even worse, killed. Candace didn't want to think about it. Kyle had agreed to stay behind, being the only other person better able to come after them if they needed help.

Anne was crying inside the house as Zira and Debbie cooked dinner in silence. The police had set up camp in the Williams kitchen, while Jim and Jimmy sat staring emotionlessly at the TV screen. David was sleeping in Zira and Jim's bedroom, Max and Liz made sure that he wouldn't move before they left. They tucked his blanket all around him and set up pillows so in the off chance he rolled over, he would only bump into a pillow. Liz was skeptical about leaving her son, but this was to help Ariel. Max was also a little leery about letting his wife come along, this might be dangerous, but he knew her and he knew that she would not be able to sit at home while he, Michael, and Isabel risked their lives to bring Ariel home.

Now they all just waited, they waited for news, they waited for hope. Candace had made Kyle promise not to read her thoughts, so it was nearly impossible to find out what else was bothering her. She seemed distracted, distracted on more than just Ariel. Something was going on inside that head of hers, and he wanted to know what it was. He just had to wait now.

* * *

Max and Michael snuck into the front entrance where they could easily get to the basement. Liz and Isabel snuck around the back where there was access to the basement through cellar doors. Amanda reluctantly stayed at the jeep where she waited to see her little cousin come running out of the house.

Max and Michael made their way into the basement where pieces of paper littered the floor. From behind a large pillar they could both see Ariel sitting huddled in a corner, exactly where she was in the dream walk. Max was relieved because where she was, was next to the cellar doors that Liz and Isabel were going to use. He was also relieved that John sat in a metal chair catty cornered from Ariel, asleep. This was too easy. Michael thought to himself.

Liz and Isabel waited five minutes like they were told, before moving in. Isabel unlocked the doors and quietly walked down the steps, closely followed by Liz. The two women saw Max and Michael making their move on John, so they decided to take the opportunity and grab Ariel. However, it wasn't that easy. As both groups advanced on their targets, John was snapped awake by the sound of someone stepping on glass. The man didn't expect people to come up here, but he did anticipate the cops, and with his anticipation was a gun.

The gun was aimed and fired before anyone could think.

* * *

**Elsewhere…**

A baby's cries resounded off the walls of the tiny bedroom in which he laid. A woman with red hair then entered the room with a bottle of milk, and a sad smile. She carefully picked the infant up and rocked him gently before giving him the bottle, which calmed him considerably.

"Grams, is he ok?" Candace asked from the doorway.

"Yeah, probably just a bad dream." Zira said as she rocked David in her arms. It had been a while since there was a baby in this house, and it was actually quite soothing under the circumstances.

* * *

"Max!" Liz screamed as the gun was fired. Max didn't hesitate and put up his shield, protecting himself and Michael from the offending 9 mm's bullet.

"Who the hell are you people?!" John asked in a drunken slur.

No one spoke as Isabel lifted the very confused Ariel onto her hip.

"Where do you think you're takin her?!" He asked angrily at Isabel, pointing the weapon at the three girls also.

"Do you really want to point that thing at us?" Isabel asked smugly.

John looked at the gun and then over to Max and Michael, where the green shield still stood. Then he turned his attention back to the three unprotected girls.

"I think I do." He said confidently.

Liz leaned over and whispered to Ariel to cover her face, which the ten year old did. Both Isabel and Liz held out their hands and blasted the man into the nearby wall. Isabel then walked away with Ariel wrapped around her neck. Liz smiled over at Max and Michael, who were staring at the unconscious John.

"What should we do with him?" Max asked her.

"What ever you feel best, but remember we shouldn't be the ones to pass judgment."

"What are you saying?" Michael asked.

"We're not murderers." She said simply before following Isabel out.

* * *

Amanda sat impatiently on the hood of the jeep, when the gunshot went off she had been too afraid to see what was happening. Yes she was putting herself before others, but she was told to stay there, and she was going to listen this time. Her only relief came when she saw Isabel walking out triumphantly with Ariel holding her tight. Amanda hugged Ariel and told her how sorry she was. When Liz, Max, and Michael emerged they called the cops and said they had an anonymous tip that the little girl they were looking for was in an abandoned house in dark regions. Max, Michael, Isabel, Liz, and Amanda sat with Ariel while they waited for the cops to come. They only left when they arrived, and when John was hauled off in handcuffs.

Maybe now they could finally get back to normal, whatever that was.

**A/N: R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Bye Bye Bye_ -- An out of control fire causes the group to loose one of their own.


	32. Bye, Bye, Bye

**__**

Part 32: Bye, Bye, Bye…

After Ariel was returned safely home and all traces of the aliens' little rescue had vanished, Kyle had decided that he and Candace should decide on a date for the wedding before things got too hectic again.

"How about December? We could get married in the snow." Kyle suggested as he and Candace sat at his kitchen table.

"I have something to tell you." Candace said abruptly.

"What is it?" Kyle asked sweetly as he skimmed through his fire truck calendar.

"I'm getting transferred." Candace blurted out.

Kyle turned to face his fiancée, suddenly not caring about the date. "Where too?"

"California." Candace whispered.

Kyle nodded his head and mouthed 'oh' before turning to look back at the calendar.

"It's a really good offer, I'll get a higher salary, and better benefits. It's a really good opportunity." She said hopefully.

"I think December eleventh would be a good day, it's a Saturday, so that's a plus." Kyle said trying to avoid the subject.

"Kyle, listen to me." Candace almost shouted. Kyle turned to face her, his face a mask. "I'm leaving, I'm taking the job."

Kyle turned his head away from her to stare at the table. "When do you leave?"

"Next week."

"Were you ever gonna tell me? Or did you think it would be fun for me to guess where you disappeared too?" Kyle snapped angrily.

"Why are you getting so angry?" Candace asked, her voice raising.

"Because you want to break up, you want to break off our engagement because of a stupid job." Kyle grew angrier by the second.

"I never said that!"

"You didn't have too, I can read thoughts remember?!" Kyle stood up and walked over to the counter. "Go ahead, go run away. It's what you're good at!"

"That's not fair. I love you."

"Yeah, but you don't want to marry me." Kyle said sadly.

Candace stood and grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. "My plane leaves on Tuesday."

"Good bye." Kyle said emotionlessly before turning to face the cabinets.

"Don't be this way." Candace pleaded, but didn't get a response.

After a moments silence she walked out of the house, leaving Kyle alone. He wanted to be angry, he wanted to knock over furniture, put his hand through a wall, push his car over a cliff, but all he could do…was cry.

* * *

Tuesday came and went and so did Candace. She and Kyle hadn't talked since that day. Kyle seemed to only get more and more depressed as the days went on. He would sit in front of the TV watching Soap Operas. No one knew what to say to him, no one knew how he felt. The only time he got off the couch was to go on fire calls. He was in a downward spiral and no one knew how to help.

"Guys I'm heading out." Kyle called out to the five in the kitchen.

"As in out out, and not to a call out?" Maria asked as she and Liz began to chase after him.

"No there's a structure fire in the old hotel on Lonesome road." Kyle said before lacing his shoes quickly.

"Kyle, maybe you shouldn't go." Liz said softly. He'd become a work-aholic, the girls half expected that he started half those fires he was fighting.

"Liz how can you say that?" Kyle asked confused. "Weren't you the one who told me that it was all right that I wanted to do a good thing? So now you're saying that now it's not ok for me to do a good thing?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. Kyle you could get hurt."

"I'm sorry Liz, but I'm going." Kyle said before walking out of the house.

Maria turned to a helpless Liz. Neither knew what to do, Kyle was taking this Candace thing so seriously, and he had no reason not to, but risking his life was not the answer.

"I have a very bad feeling about this." Maria mumbled.

"So do I." Liz agreed sadly.

* * *

The scene was bright with red, orange and white smoke. The old hotel was one of the largest fire traps Old Forge had to offer, the only reason anyone was fighting this fire now was because of the miles of houses behind it. Five fire companies responded to the call, and none had any luck putting the fire out. The building was beginning to fall to pieces around them as they walked through. Luckily no one was hurt, yet.

"Is there anyone else in the building?" One of the firefighters called out to another on the scene.

"I think Stevens went in a few minutes ago." Another yelled back.

* * *

"He'll be fine." Michael tried to convince the three girls at the kitchen table.

He and Max had been doing this for as long as Kyle had been gone, and it had not worked one bit. Isabel was just as easily shaky about this call. It just didn't seem right to them.

Liz held a fussy David in her arms as she sat at the kitchen table next to Max. Maria and Isabel sat across from them and Michael sat on the counter top. None of them knew what to do, this feeling was undeniable. Maria busied herself with the fire truck calendar that had been laying on the table for days now. Kyle had refused to take it off.

"Maria you're just making everyone else nervous too." Michael said. This was driving him crazy.

"Maria, why don't we just take this off the…" Liz began but failed to finish when her hand came into contact with the calendar. A vision rushed passed her, making her gasp at what she was seeing.

"Liz?" Isabel asked as everyone stared at her.

"We never should have let him join." Liz said angrily before jumping up from the table.

* * *

Kyle stumbled around the top floor of the hotel trying to put out the fire from his end. The heat didn't bother him, it actually comforted his now cold heart. The fire crackled all around him, and the wood let out a sickening sound as he took each step. Finally he took a step, and his foot went right through.

Kyle cried out in pain as he felt his ankle twist as it fell through. He let himself fall to his knees as he let the pain course through his veins. Only when he looked up did he see the apparition in front of him. The woman that he hadn't seen in such a long time, he had loved her and she had left him.

"Mom…?" Kyle asked the ghostly figure, only half aware that his emergency tracking signal on his suit was beeping frantically.

"Hello sweetie." She said with a smile as she came to kneel in front of him.

Kyle felt the tears falling down his face as her hand came up to cup his face mask, the closest she could get to his cheek. Wanting to feel like a little boy again, Kyle released the mask, letting all the oxygen out with it. Michelle cupped Kyle's cheek with her hand before leaning up to kiss his forehead, but when she drew away it was no longer his mother.

Bright blue eyes stared back at Kyle. Tess. The girl who was like a sister to him. He loved her too, until she mind warped him into carrying Alex's dead body. He would never forgive her for that, even in the grave.

"I'm sorry Kyle." Her voice echoed in his brain.

But he could not respond, his lungs felt heavy, and itchy. He couldn't breathe. Wait, he was in a burning building and he took off his mask. He was so stupid. The room was now spinning, and Tess was spinning with it. Kyle quickly closed his eyes to block out the nauseous feeling that was rising in his stomach. Once he opened them the tears from the smoke and heat, and from the apparitions in front of him only intensified as he looked at the newest form. Candace.

Her brown eyes enraptured him as she called to him, like a siren. The mythical creature that led sailors to their dooms. That's what she was to him now, only a siren.

"I never meant to leave you, but I was too good for you." Candace said with a tone of sarcasm. "You didn't think that I actually loved you…?"

Kyle watched as the ghost in front of him changed mid sentence, back to his mother.

"How could anyone ever love you?" He watched as the face once again changed back to Tess.

"We just used you." Tess spoke before leaning up to kiss his now sweaty forehead.

When she drew back it was Candace again.

"Good bye Kyle." She spoke with a smile on her face as she disappeared, as did the building and fire, till nothing but black and coldness were all that was left.

**A/N:** I was going to wait to post this but I couldn't resist. **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter: **Babybird_ -- Everyone waits for news of Kyle while reliving precious memories.


	33. Babybird

**__**

Part 33: Baby Bird

The white room held various pictures of pastel colored flowers and watered down sunsets. The halls held a sickening feeling and stench that only it could provide. The people were all sad, or sick, or hurt, either waiting to say goodbye or waiting to leave. Bad memories were what these walls told, sadness, hurt, fear, regret. All the longings that no one got to finish.

Suffering was what the visitors saw, and compassion was what they felt.

Five people sat in an empty room, close to midnight. Five asleep, two awake only pretending to sleep. All feeling all the emotions that this building provided. All feeling sad, hurt, afraid, regret. They all haunted them, like ghosts, or a shadow. Only waiting till the sun rose again.

Well come back, Babybird

With your dirty wings in tatters

Well come home where you belong

Nobody knows you better

Well bring back your velvet heart

And we'll make you brand new feathers

You sleep through the morning light

With your arms around your brother

"Hi you've reached Candace, I'm sorry I've missed your call but if you leave a message I'll get back to you." Amanda heard Candace's voice message on her cell phone.

"Cand, listen. Something's happened…I don't know how to tell you this…umm…Kyle's in the hospital." Amanda paused. "He got trapped in a fire and umm…well just listen…I just thought you should know…umm…don't come home, no one would want to see you." Amanda spoke truthfully before hanging up her phone.

It was true, even her own family blamed Candace for the break up. Her selfishness destroyed the one true thing in her life. Now Amanda sat in the hospital waiting room with everyone else. Just waiting for some news of Kyle. Just an hour ago the doctor came out saying that they were out of surgery, Kyle had sustained a massive blow to the head and he consumed massive amounts of smoke inhalation. Not to mention the two broken ribs, collapsed lung, and serious amounts of internal bleeding.

Now they all just prayed and waited. Waited and prayed. But for most it was a loosing situation, and soon God would be calling one of his valiant angels to take a seat in heaven, and this was their last good bye.

Babybird

Come back home

Babybird

You were never really on your own

Max and Liz both held hands as they sat in yesterday's clothes in the waiting room. Kyle had not been allowed any visitor's in the past two days that he had been there. Liz only thought that people left to go home and sleep, practically the whole town showed up to show their support for the fallen hero.

Maria slept in Michael's lap while Isabel held the sleeping David. Amanda and Ariel would walk around the hospital endlessly. They were becoming stir crazy just sitting in the same seats all day long. Debbie and Jim came and went at various times through out the day. Zira and Jimmy stayed with the kids all day long, only going home to sleep. It just wasn't fair. Once they got a break from all this pain and heart ache they only got more.

Liz and Max could barely celebrate the birth of their son before the FBI were on their tails again. And then there was Ariel, and then this. When would they just get a break? They were tired of always fighting, and always having to loose someone. It wasn't fair, what had they ever done wrong in their lives to deserve this. Was their very existence that much of a nuisance to God? Why did he create them if he was only going to punish them? Why?

Now outside faces cry

With the tears of lonesome orphans

And behind every mask

Is the face of another

Now wherever you have been

Wherever you took cover

No arms that pulled you in

Could hold you like your mother

Isabel sprung up in her seat as the doctor came out of the long hallway to talk with them. Michael shook Maria from her slumber and Max and Liz turned from the window where they were standing, staring out. David nestled cozily in Liz's arms while Max's arms rested around Liz's waist, with his head on her shoulder.

"Doctor." Isabel greeted the man who had seen them more than once in the past three days.

"He's waking up." The older man with graying hair told them.

All of them expelled a giant breathe that none of them realized they were holding.

"He's still in critical condition, and I think it best that only two people at a time go in to see him." The doctor explained.

"How's he doing?" Maria asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Just make your visits quick." The doctor said shortly before walking away from the five young adults.

"Who should go in first?" Isabel asked sadly, wiping a tear from her eye.

They each exchanged worried looks.

"Michael and I will go first." Maria spoke up bravely.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Michael asked skeptically.

Maria nodded and began to walk towards the ICU where Kyle lay in critical condition.

Babybird

Come back home

Babybird

You were never really on your own

Maria sat in the chair that was placed by Kyle's bedside. Michael stood at the doorway, too afraid to cross the threshold. He couldn't see his friend like this, with tubes and monitors coming from every inch of his body. The scars and bruises that marked his flesh. He honestly didn't know how Maria was holding it together. Michael watched as she tried to keep all the feelings that were coursing through her inside.

Maria gently took Kyle's hand in her own and brought it to her lips as she recalled some their good times on the road together.

"Maria, just get over it already." Liz said. "Why did we let Kyle make the brownies again?"

"Because you and I had work. These are horrible." Maria said as she tossed one of the rock hard brownies in the garbage.

"Well I didn't see you helping." Kyle said as he entered the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, but this is just wrong. I specifically told you to follow the directions, what is so hard about getting some oil, an egg or two, and the powder that comes with the box?" Maria exclaimed at him.

"Listen, I know you two are going through alien withdrawal here, but I am not anyone's whipping boy. I will not be your Michael, you can not push me around and expect me to fire back some crude comment that will keep you wrapped around my little finger. I am not your Max, I will not go to lamaze class with you, I will not be the person in the delivery room whose hand you break, I will not be the person you tell to tell the person who got you pregnant that you hate them.

"I am only one man. That is all that I will be." Kyle finished his speech and saw the girls trying not to laugh.

Maria laughed through her tears as the memory came to her mind and heart. Kyle had been great when they were alone. He always made them feel like they belonged.

"Well, it's 12:05, where may I ask have you been young man?" A voice from the dark living room interrupted Kyle's tip-toeing back to his room.

"Hi mom." He said defeatedly. The bright lamp light was flicked on and he saw Maria sitting on the couch with a huge smile on her face.

"Did you have a good time?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah, but like I thought, she's not really my type so we're probably not gonna go out again. Just friends." He lied through his teeth, but he didn't want Maria going postal at twelve o'clock in the morning. "Where's Liz?"

"Sleeping I guess. She hasn't come out of her room since you left." Maria told him sadly.

"What you said really hurt her Kyle. How could you even think of blaming Liz for Alex's death?!" Maria dug into him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said, I was just so angry at her. I don't want anything to happen to any of us and what if she got caught using that fake money? The government would have taken her away and done God knows what to her. We can't protect her like Max, Michael, and Isabel could, we are only human." Kyle explained to Maria, but her face stayed set in stone.

"You shouldn't be telling me all this. I'm not the one who got hurt." Maria said to him before going into the kitchen. "Oh and Kyle." She called out to him. "Red lipstick isn't really your color. Call me when you apologize."

Maria smiled at the fondness that they had shared. They were practically siblings, and now it was just too soon to end what they were feeling towards each other.

"Hey." Maria felt a hand on her shoulder. "We really miss you man." Michael said as Maria heard him sniffle behind her. "And you're not allowed to leave us, because I can't be that kid's only uncle, I mean you've been training for this, and he deserves to get to know you."

Maria felt the tears start to fall harder. This was one of the only times that Michael had cried, she had only seen him cry three times in her life. It took a lot to make Michael Guerin cry.

"And if you don't wake up, how am I gonna tell you how much taking care of Maria really meant to me. You know." Michael wiped his eyes with his freehand. "You're just not allowed to leave us, you hear me. You can't."

Maria couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and took the crying Michael into her arms. This could not be happening. She could not loose Kyle, _they_ could not loose Kyle. Who would clean the gutters in the middle of February? Who would carry around a pregnancy belly when Max and Michael weren't around? He couldn't leave her, not like Alex left her. It just wasn't fair.

When all my colors fade

And my wings, they turn to leather

I'll know the reasons why

God let me get older

When all my days are through

And I fly these hills no longer

I'll lay beneath the stars

And I'll watch you flying over

Isabel sat in the very same chair that Maria had sat only moments ago. Kyle looked so bloodied and broken. This couldn't be the same Kyle whose soul purpose on New Year's Eve was to get laid. It just couldn't be possible.

"Hey…" Isabel whispered softly. "You know, everyone is really worried about you."

Isabel stopped to take in her surroundings. How had this happened? Why had this happened? There seemed to be no real answer for this happening.

"It seems kind of silly, you know. We have all this power and we can't do anything." Isabel wiped a tear from her eye, they all seemed to be crying more now.

"Oh, we've got to keep our secret safe; we've got to be boring and brooding". If I had one tenth of your power…" Kyle did his best mimicry of his new alien friends.

"What would you do?" Isabel asked peeved at his attitude. He was ruining a perfectly good mope fest.

"I'd have fun!"

Isabel laughed at the memory. And they did have fun, sure it was at Max's expense, but hey you gotta do what you gotta do. Boy he sure was a good friend to her. How could they have lost that comradery that they had so long ago? It seemed so long ago now. So long ago.

Babybird

Come back home

Babybird

You were never really on your own

Max stood right behind Liz in Kyle's room. Whether Max wanted to admit it or not, Kyle had been a good friend to him.

"Hey…" Liz whispered through her tears. 

Max squeezed her shoulder gently to let her know that he was right there for her. Liz took Kyle's hand in her own and immediately got a rush of images.

_

* * *

_

C'mon, c'mon let go  
Lose your blues  
Everybody cut footloose  
FIRST -…Liz!" Kyle said abruptly ending his song.

"Hey Kevin Bacon." Liz said while stifling a laugh.

"How long you been there?" He asked, his face red and he was out of breath.

"Long enough to know that you got some killer set of pipes and the dance steps to match. Don't let Maria know, she's the singer in this group." Liz winked before sitting down at the table.

"Seriously, don't tell anyone though. If anyone knew my secret love for Footloose I'd never live it down." Kyle said while playing along.

_

* * *

_

"Compared to what she always does; cry. Don't worry, she won't be crying in the delivery room. She'll be screaming." Maria said joyfully while patting Kyle on the back.

"Why do I have to play labor coach for that again?" He yelled after her.

_

* * *

_

"Holy Santa Claus! I think I'm entering believer territory." Kyle said.

"Here's a note." Maria said as she lifted a note from their coffee table. "You three have given us so much joy and happiness. We appreciate your friendship more than you will ever know. Thank you for being here with us. May you have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. The Williams'." Maria read.

"First, free food and now this. I really love that family." Kyle said as he dove for the tree.

"So do I." Maria said while joining him.

Liz stood back watching them go at each other and felt something move inside of her. Was that? No it couldn't be…could it?

"Guys…" Liz said to them, never taking her eyes off her stomach.

"Yo, what's up?" Kyle said from underneath the wrapping paper of a gift.

"I think the baby just moved." Liz said while smiling.

"No, it's not time, we haven't got half the things we need for baby Bob. Oh dear I am in panic mode. I like my hands not broken!" Kyle panicked.

_

* * *

_

"Liz, what's wrong?" He asked with concern written all over him as he knelt down next to her bed.

"I had a dream…" She started.

"Was it a vision?" He asked.

"No, it was a dream, about Max." She said before sobbing. Kyle quickly gathered her into his arms and held her tightly.

"Want to tell me about it?" He asked her gently.

"Not really. I just…I miss him so much…it's actually getting harder to breath." Liz admitted between sobs.

"I'm sorry Liz, about before. I just don't want anything to happen to you. You and Maria are all that I have now, whether we like it or not we're stuck with each other, forever. I didn't want to lose you." Kyle whispered soothingly.

"I know. I'm sorry too." Liz said as she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh." He whispered while he held onto her tightly. Liz clung to him in his arms.

He let her cry on his shoulder, they would be able to talk more tomorrow. Right now it was about healing, healing that she needed to do.

_

* * *

_

"Valenti."

"President." Kyle clarified making the girls giggle.

* * *

"It's probably just Braxton Hicks, right, please." Kyle pleaded.

"Yeah, probably." Maria said. Everyone immediately eased.

"No it's not." Liz said simply as she took whoever's hand was closest, which just happened to be Max's.

"Liz, what's wrong?" Max asked in fear and concern.

"My water just broke." Liz said quietly.

"Broke?" Kyle said as his voice raised to a high note before he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

He didn't want her to leave either, who thought of this stupid plan again?

"You did." Kyle told him as he broke out of his step mother's hug. Max looked at Kyle confused. "I have powers too you know."

* * *

Liz laughed as they left her view, but she also cried more. How could they have possibly been so happy and now they could be so sad?_Babybird_

_Come back home_

_Babybird_

_You will never be all alone_

_**A/N:** _I hope you all liked this past chapter. The song is Wallflower's Babybird, and I took some quotes from season two Baby It's You. Also some of the 'Kyle's memories' (Kyle's greatest hits) are from various parts in the story, but I'm sure you all knew that. ::wink:: **R&R!!**

_**The Next Chapter:** What You Deserve_ -- Kyle gets some surprise visitors, Liz gets a little angry, and the cliffhanger of a lifetime, no wait that's chapter 35, my bad. ;-)


	34. What You Deserve

Pt 34 What You deserve

A dark shadow crept into the room silently. It sat in the chair next to his bed, carefully taking his hand. Kyle did not stir as the strange shadow began to sob. The shoulder length brown hair with blonde highlights stood out against the darkness of the moonlit room. She held a Burberry purse on her lap as she just stared at the man that she loved. A million thoughts crossed her mind, but none stayed long, for she kept going back to that same thought.

If things had been different, maybe, just maybe, Kyle would not be lying in this bed all alone and fighting for his life. If she hadn't have left he would be happy, but she wouldn't. As true as it was, Candace loved Kyle, but she was happy in California. She was able to be someone that she hadn't got the chance to be before.

"I'm sorry." Candace whispered sorrowfully. "This is all…my fault…If I…if I had stayed, you….you wouldn't be here." Candace took in an uneven breath. "You were too good to me and this was…this was how I repaid you. I'm so sorry, I wish so much that we could switch places right now."

Candace let her head rest on Kyle's arm as she quieted her cries. She did not hear the person come up behind her, nor did she miss the venom in their voice when they spoke.

"You're right." Liz said from behind Candace. "He was too good to you, and it should be you lying there instead of him."

Candace lifted her face to look at Liz.

"He did nothing but love you and you just…left him. How can you even look at yourself in the mirror?"

"I'm sorry for what I did but…"

"But I think you should leave."

Liz stared down at the girl stone faced. This girl was responsible for putting Kyle where he was now. How dare she enter this place and pretend to love him now that he can't fight her off.

"When he wakes up…will you tell him that I was here?" Candace asked Liz, who silently shook her head no.

Candace simply nodded before turning back to Kyle. Placing a gentle kiss to his forehead, she whispered a simple I love you before leaving.

Liz watched her go. How had their lives come to this?

* * *

Max sat in the same hospital chair that he had been sitting on since Kyle had been admitted. David was at Zira's for the day, Liz and the doctors didn't like having their newborn son in the hospital, but she also didn't like being away from him. Max could understand that feeling, he felt it with Isabel and Michael, his parents, Liz, Maria and even Kyle,…Zan, his first born son, the one that he had to give up for his own safety, and now again with David. 

Isabel paced back and forth in front of the window. Kyle was one of her best friends and this was weighing all too heavily on her. Jesse had phoned her and told her that he would be out there as soon as he got a flight, that was two hours ago. Now she stood and waited, she waited for her whole life to come crashing down around her.

Michael sat holding Maria in his arms, she was asleep finally. She hadn't been sleeping well at all, ever since the accident all she did was toss and turn. It was like watching her self destruct with the whole Alex thing all over again. Maria had been in constant contact with her mother and Jim. Reluctantly, they agreed to wait a couple days till the news about Kyle's accident died down to come out to Old Forge. In case the special unit hadn't totally dropped their investigation into them they would all be safe for the time being.

Liz sat on the steps leading out of the hospital. She hadn't told anyone of Candace's little visit. She didn't know if she wanted too. This was the women who caused Kyle to nearly kill himself. No one should have to burden themselves with that news. No one.

"Liz?" Liz turned around to see who was behind her.

Amanda stood in her school uniform, all depressed looking.

"How is he?" She asked as she sat down next to her friend.

"The same." Liz told Amanda.

"Candace called me." Amanda blurted out.

"Yeah." Liz said, uncaringly.

"She told me that you and her had an altercation last night." Amanda spoke evenly.

"I wouldn't call it that."

"You told her that she should be the one lying in the hospital bed, not Kyle." Amanda looked at Liz. "I know this hurts you, it hurts all of us but Liz…blaming someone else is not the answer."

"You don't know anything. If she hadn't have left then we would all be sitting together joking around and having a good time, not loosing someone that we love. You don't know us, you never did. You know nothing of the pain that we have had to go through." Liz said loosing her temper.

"What are you talking about?!" Amanda nearly yelled. "I lost my best friend." Liz realized her mistake as Amanda went on. "I nearly lost my cousin, and I might as well have lost my other best friend because I have to constantly lie to him."

Liz pulled the now crying Amanda into her arms.

"I'm sorry." Liz cried also. "I never should have assumed that you didn't know what it's like."

Amanda nodded her head but kept crying.

* * *

Maria looked up to see her mother and step father basically running down the hall towards them. 

"Mom." Maria stood up as she ran to her mother.

Liz, Max, Michael, Isabel, and Amanda all stood up as well. They carried on a short conversation about Kyle's condition before Maria led them to the ICU to see Kyle. Everyone sat back down in uncomfortable silence. But it wasn't for very long, because only two minutes later Maria came into view, crying. Michael was the first to see her, and he ran to her. She collapsed in his arms.

Something had happened.

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I know it took me a while but I've been busy with school and work so please don't through anything at me. I hope you all liked this past chapterthe last two are coming up in one minute.


	35. A New Life, again

Part 35 A New Life, again

"Well, I know I'm not the only one who is happy to see this fine family finally get this wonderful establishment up and running. I don't know about all of you, but I'm quite excited to be eating some alien cuisine." The mayor of Old Forge said as he stood in front of a bright red ribbon. "So without any further ado, welcome to Old Forge, Crashdown Café."

The crowd cheered and applauded as the ribbon was cut.

The walls were decorated with photos of different crashes from news papers, hand drawn murals all over the walls, alien memorabila all over the creation, waitresses in seafoam green uniforms with silver antennas.

It was just like the real thing.

"Isn't this the best spaceboy?" Maria asked as she leaned on the ordering window.

Michael rolled his eyes. "I don't understand why you were so eager to jump back into your old position as waitress. We half own this place."

"It's the principle of the matter. I've been doing this for so long, it's like second nature." Maria defended her decision. "Besides I thought you liked the uniform." She teased him.

"Yeah." Michael said.

"This place is wonderful." An elderly lady shook Liz's hand.

"Keep up the good work." A middle aged man shook Max's.

Liz looked over to Max with a smile. This had really been a good idea. After everything slowed down they all realized that they needed something to do to raise money. Isabel had gone back to Boston so that meant that Maria, Michael, Max, and Liz were left to fend for themselves. After some prodding, Max and Liz agreed to buy some old building space and turn it into a diner.

Liz's mother was ecstatic when they told her it was going to be a chain of the Crashdown. It took them five years just to get it opened. After Maria and Michael got their own place just down the street from Liz and Max they had to raise more money. The Williams' were still good friends. In fact, one of them was actually working at the new Café.

"Liz!, Max!" Ariel yelled for the two owners.

"Yes." Max rolled his eyes. The teenager had begged them for a job, but she was reluctant about the uniform.

"Maria and Michael are making out in the break room again." Ariel said with disgust. "Aren't they like, suppose to be adults?"

Liz laughed as Max rolled his eyes.

"I'll go take care of this." Max volunteered. "All right short stack, stay with mommy." Max told his fiver year old son.

"Ok." David agreed as he was set down on the floor next to his mommy.

Liz giggled at her son who had insisted that he had to wear a tux to the big opening. He greeted people with a smile and a wave, he was definitely not his father's son in that respect.

Max kissed Liz on the lips before kissing the little bundle in her arms. Claudia Diana Evans was one month old and one of the most beautiful babies that you ever did see. David couldn't be happier to have a baby sister.

"Mommy, whens aunt Izzy gettin here wit uncle Jesse?" David asked.

"She should be here any minute." Liz told her son.

David nodded before going back to his business of waving at customers. Soon he was running out the doors to the familiar form of his aunt.

"David." Liz yelled for her son, but was relieved when she saw Isabel leading him back in.

"Hey sis." Isabel said affectionately.

"Hey Is." Liz smiled widely.

"The place looks nice." Jesse commented.

"Me and Claudia's puts our hands on the wall." David told them proudly as he pointed to the four handprints, child size. "Uncle Michael puts paint on our hands and we puts them on the walls."

"Very good buddy." Isabel told her nephew.

"So where are my nieces and nephews?" Liz asked Isabel and Jesse.

"With mom and dad." Jesse told her. "They're coming down tomorrow with the kids."

Jesse and Isabel had started making kids as soon as Isabel joined him in Boston. They had four year old Ava, three year old Jesse Jr. or J.J. as they liked to call him, and two year old Marie. Isabel went back to school and blew right past all the other students and got her degree in interior decorating in two years. Jesse was a top notch attorney at his firm and made plenty of time for his family.

"Hey big sister." Max said as he hugged Isabel.

"Hey little brother." Isabel smiled, her shoulder length brown hair pulled up at the sides.

"Hey Max." Jesse outstretched his hand.

"Hey Jesse. You taking care of my sister?" Max teased.

"You know it." Jesse laughed.

Pretty soon they were seated at a reserved booth in the back, just like in Roswell.

* * *

Ariel picked up the last streamer from the floor and threw it in the black garbage bag. Her silver antenna had long been discarded as did her apron. Now her hair was tossed up high atop her head messily. 

"Can I go home yet?" She asked Liz.

"Did you fill the sugars?" Liz asked.

"That's Maria's job." Ariel whined.

"Go." Liz pointed Ariel to the back.

"Why did I want to work here again?"

Isabel laughed as she drank her coffee in the booth with a sleeping David on top ofher lap.

"I remember when she was just little." Isabel laughed.

"As Amanda would say, the good ole days." Liz laughed.

"So, garbage is out, floors are swept, and Ariel is filling the sugars as we speak." Maria reported as she sat down next to Liz. Max, Jesse, and Michael all found places on the bar or in a chair.

"Our first night was a success." Liz told everyone as she glanced at the new business books her mother sent her.

"Here, here." Maria said before letting her head fall to the table.

"I think this calls for a celebration." Michael said as he reached behind the counter to grab a bottle of sparkling cider.

"It's about damn time we opened up some champagne, I've been busting my butt." Ariel exclaimed as she walked through the swinging doors.

"Hey watch that mouth." Michael chastised.

"Go home." Max told her.

"No fair, I do all the heavy lifting and get no spoils."

"Ariel." Liz warned.

"Sure, now you free the slaves."

Isabel chuckled as Ariel walked out.

"I wish we knew her when she didn't know how to talk." Michael said suddenly, causing everyone to laugh.

They all sat and drank their sparkling cider in silence. The only silence they had all day long.

"Hey, Hey, Hey!" A loud voice came from the door. Everyone turned to see a very missed face.

"Amanda Lynn Williams is that you?!" Maria exclaimed as she ran to her.

Amanda laughed as they all eyed her up. Her blonde hair was gone and it was now a light shade of red. But this wasn't the first time she had changed her hair color. Her first year away at school it was black, then brown, now red. Amanda went to Penn State Main Campus for all three years so far, she wanted to be a writer. She was actually quite good, she had started her first project and had actually been published. _The Old Forge Files_ were the series titles. The intergalactic love triangles of six kids in the middle of no where town of Old Forge. They were fictional works of course.

"Nice setup." Amanda commented.

"Hey twirp." Michael hugged her affectionately.

"So who's house am I staying at tonight?" Amanda asked with a smile.

They all laughed and joked, just like old times. There was just one thing missing…


	36. For Now

**__**

Part 36 For Now

"I told you to get on the exit ramp but no, don't listen to me." Everyone turned to see Kyle, Candace, and their three year old sleepingdaughter, Alexis walking into the café. "Oh hey guys."

* * *

Liz, Max, Michael, Isabel, and Amanda all stood up as well. They carried on a short conversation about Kyle's condition before Maria led them to the ICU to see Kyle. Everyone sat back down in uncomfortable silence. But it wasn't for very long, because only two minutes later Maria came into view, crying. Michael was the first to see her, and he ran to her. She collapsed in his arms. 

Something had happened.

"Maria?" Isabel asked first.

"He's…"

"What?" Liz asked urgently.

"He's awake." Maria cried. "He's awake, he's smiling, he's fine."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Kyle was fine.

* * *

"You idiotic moron, next time there's a burning building, you're not going." Maria lectured Kyle. 

Everyone sat around laughing at him. It was good to feel better.

"Are you done now mom?" Kyle asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, but if you ever do that again…"

"You'll chop me up into itty bitty pieces and hide me in the basement and when it floods I can float around in the dirty filthy sewer water." Kyle said in one breath.

"Right." Maria said before sitting down next to Michael.

"Believe me when I tell you, I am not anxious to jump back into action again." Kyle tried to laugh but ended up coughing.

Liz thought back to what Kyle looked like when he was first admitted, his skin was barely hanging on his body. Max almost didn't want to let her see that. He looked a lot better, but it still couldn't erase the pain.

Liz looked over to the door where one single person stood with tears in her eyes. Candace.

"Um, guys." Liz got their attention.

Everyone looked to the door where Candace stood.

"What? Crippled guy can't see past the curtain." Kyle said jokingly.

"Let's go." Isabel instructed.

They all got up to leave Kyle, hugging him or kissing him good bye.

"Oh come on guys, I don't look that bad." Kyle joked but stopped smiling when he saw Candace.

"You hurt him." Liz started to Candace. "I'll kill you in ways you never thought possible."

Candace simply nodded before continuing the rest of the way.

"Hi." She said meekly.

"Hey." Kyle said silently.

They sat there for five whole minutes in silence. Not moving, barely breathing. Finally Candace broke, rushing to him to finally hug him so tight.

"I'm sorry"'s and "I love you"'s were said as they hugged and kissed.

Sure they had a long road ahead of them, one that led them down the alter and to California where Candace became the head of her department and where Kyle became captain of his fire house. A road that led to many disagreements, and many happy endings.

* * *

"So, what? No hello Kyle?" Kyle joked. 

"Funny, man." Michael jumped off the counter to shake his hand.

They continued to hug and talk and joke. And at the end of the night Max looked over at his beautiful wife and whispered into her ear.

"Remember when this was about you and me?" Liz smiled and kissed his cheek.

It was finally over. For now.

**A/N:** I know lame ending, but i left it open for a sequel in case I get crazy enough to do it.


End file.
